By Lloyd Burr
A new ministry was launched at Parliament this afternoon but it wasn’t sanctioned by the Government and few people turned up for the occasion.
Five pro-men’s rights activists launched the makeshift ‘Ministry of Men’s Affairs’ in a bid to raise awareness of a number of men-specific issues.
The group’s spokesperson Hans Laven says high male suicide rates and high employment deaths are not being addressed by the Government.
After hounding Members of Parliament about the issues and getting no response, Mr Laven says he decided to make his own unofficial Government department.
“It’s time men started getting a bit of attention and resource to deal with the issues that affect them.”
He says men die earlier than women, are sentenced more heavily, have poorer achievement in schools, and he has beef with the way men are treated at the Family Court.
“Men frequently lose meaningful involvement with their children through our feminist Family Court,” he says.
He set up a music stand and a big poster on the steps of Parliament and sang to four other devoted supporters who danced and clapped.
No other members of the public joined in, with most ignoring it and enjoying their lunch in the Wellington sun.
Despite the lack of supporters, Mr Laven vowed that his campaign would grow.
“We are going to mobilise men,” he says.
3 News
source: newshub archive
