NZ’s Minister for Women says 'no' to the Women’s Suffrage flag; and 'yes' to Zonta who welcomes men who say they’re women.

NZ women are denied just one flag to fly at Parliament on Suffrage Day, whilst FIVE flags are flown on 17 May for gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex people.

For the last several years, NZ Parliament has been happy to fly the Rainbow, Transgender, Pride, Bisexual, and Intersex flags.

But, when I asked for just one flag to be flown on 19 September to commemorate the day that New Zealand became the first self-governing country in the world where women won the right to vote, they couldn’t accommodate that.

Despite the bitter blokes who sourly bang on about that achievement by women, it was an achievement – and a hard-won one. Whereas, what have the Rainbow, Transgender, Pride, Bisexual, and Intersex conglomeration done to warrant their flags to be flown? Their sole notable achievement, to all appearances, is that they have wangled a disproportionate amount of influence for themselves inside Parliament.

I’ve been through all the right channels in my quest to have the violet, white, and green broad-striped flag flown at Parliament for Women’s Suffrage Day (suffrage = the right to vote).

I created a Parliamentary petition, and applied to both the Speaker’s Office and the Minister for Women to fly the flag. The Speaker, whose role it is to maintain order in the debating chamber, is also the person who makes the decisions on which flags to fly at Parliament. He decided that my request didn’t meet the criteria, because “We normally fly country flags of visiting VIPs or overseas delegations who are attending meetings within Parliament Buildings.”

Strangely, the Rainbow, Transgender, Pride, Bisexual, and Intersex flags have had exceptions made for them. I wonder why they get that? In due course, I queried this exception with the Speaker’s Office, noting that on IDAHOBIT Day – International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia – the above-mentioned five flags are all raised at Parliament.

The reply I got from a staffer was: “Completely understand why you would want to know the reasoning for the women’s suffrage flag being declined last year.

The IDAHOBIT you speak of was an annual repeat and MPs supported but it probably may not be approved this year.

Every request made is approved by the Speaker and flags are generally for VIP guests only from other countries visiting our Parliament.

There is a Women’s Suffrage’s Day Breakfast held here every year, so you could ask the Minister hosting that event to write to the Speaker requesting the flag be raised.”

Did you note the bit about MPs supporting all those flags being flown? I’m betting it wasn’t only Left-wingers who supported it, either. This is indicative of how the TQ+ narrative has been so superbly and deviously crafted, that MPs unthinkingly nod along to being ‘kind’. As far as I’m aware, there has never been any other reason given for flying those flags. Neither do I know of any other minor group being granted an exception to fly their flag just to be ‘kind’ to them.

It’s interesting to note the reply to me from the Speaker’s Office also said that the IDAHOBIT flags may not be approved this year. I hope that means this year and every year - but there’s many a twist and turn in communications from Parliament and MPs, and in reality, it may not mean anything at all. We shall see.

I thought it worthwhile to take up the suggestion in the reply, about asking the Minister hosting the Women’s Suffrage Day Breakfast at Parliament to make a request to the Speaker to fly the Women’s Suffrage flag. The Minister who came immediately to mind as the obvious one to ask, was the Minister for Women, Nicola Grigg. But, she doesn’t want a bar of it, although the refusal via one of her staffers was couched in politeness, of course -

“On behalf of Hon Nicola Grigg, Minister for Women, I am writing to acknowledge your email of 9 February 2026 regarding Suffrage Day.

The recognised symbol for Suffrage in New Zealand is the white camellia. This symbol has historical significance here in New Zealand — suffragists gave white camellias to their supporters to wear in Parliament during the passing of the Electoral Act 1893. [yes, I know]

On 5 March 2026, the Minister for Women is hosting a breakfast at Parliament with Zonta to recognise International Women’s Day. In September, the Minister will look to attend commemorations across the country to recognise Suffrage Day so is unlikely to be hosting a breakfast or similar event at Parliament on this occasion.”

My first thought was to reply “well, make a flag with a white camellia on it then, and fly that”.

But, it’s clear that a flag for women just doesn’t imbue MPs and the Speaker with the same warm fuzzies as IDAHOBIT flags do. It does go to show, though, that ‘trans/queer’ claims of being hard-done by are a joke, because even the global organisation Zonta, “who wants to build a better world for women and girls”, and whom Nicola Grigg is meeting for brekkie on International Women’s Day, includes men who say they’re women. And, not to be outdone, the International Women’s Day operation also includes men who say they’re women.

By the way, chaps, before you ask, International Men’s Day is 19 November. I’m not sure if it includes women who say they’re men.

Right now, I’ll strategically park my request to have the Women’s Suffrage flag flown on 19 September each year, but one thing I’ve learnt in life is that a badly resolved matter often has a way of raising its head again. In the meantime, if there are any who’d like to contact the Minister for Women, Nicola Grigg, or the Speakers Office, to ask why a flag for NZ Women’s Suffrage Day isn’t flown – even if NZ makes its own flag with a camellia on it for this – whilst five flags for IDAHOBIT Day are flown, their contact details are:

Nicola Grigg - N.Grigg@ministers.govt.nz

The Office of the Speaker – speakers.office@parliament.govt.nz

Please keep it polite.