Empowering Women into Governance

International Women's Day image

Empowering Women into Governance

3 March 2025

Limelight Room, Aotea Centre

The theme of 2025 International Women’s Day is “Accelerate action for women’s equality”.

This year’s theme has a natural alignment with Auckland Council’s objective to ensure that Auckland’s elected members reflect our communities, especially in a local election year.

In support of International Women’s Day, Auckland Council is hosting a panel discussion with the theme “Empowering women into governance”.

Join us for a topical panel discussion featuring the strong female voices of those who have made a significant impact in leadership, governance and community advocacy. Get exclusive insights and reflections from women who have lived experience in governance to understand how you too could influence change.

More details, including our MC and speaker lineup, will be available soon.

Event details

Monday 3 March 2025
Limelight Room, Aotea Centre
Auckland Central

9.30am - 10.00am: Doors open/networking
10:00am - 11.30am: Welcome address and moderated panel discussion
11.30am - 12pm (noon): Networking and light refreshments 

Register to attend

Alison Mau

Co-Founder, Tika, Broadcaster and Author

Alison Mau is one of Aotearoa/New Zealand's most experienced communicators with more than thirty years in major television, radio, and print media roles. A long-time advocate for gender equity, Alison created the MeTooNZ journalism project at Stuff in 2018. Over five years, Me Too NZ published dozens of major investigations and changed the way sexual harassment is reported by media, using a trauma-informed kaupapa. She has won national and international awards for her leadership of the project. In 2023, Alison co-founded Tika, New Zealand's first and only legal charity dedicated to helping survivors access justice and accountability, furthering her commitment to combating sexual harm. Her memoir, No Words For This, will be released by HarperCollins on April 3.

Penny Hulse

Former Deputy Mayor of Auckland

Penny was on the Local Governance Review panel. She has had a long career in Local Government both as part of Waitakere City Council and the amalgamated Auckland Council. Her commitment has always been to push for genuine community interaction with council and to seek new ways of authentically empowering communities to take charge of their wellbeing.

Dianne Hale

Former North Shore City Council Deputy Mayor

Dianne was first elected to the last Devonport Borough Council in 1986. She successfully stood for election to the North Shore City Council in 1992. During her 18 years at the North Shore City Council, Dianne was the Deputy Mayor for 9 years.  At the amalgamation of the seven local councils in 2010 into Auckland Council, Dianne chose to stand for the Devonport Takapuna Local Board and served her local community for 6 years before retiring in 2016. At her retirement Dianne had close to 30 years of serve in Local Government.

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