Status of Women committee  As a government agency, we are committed to meeting the needs of the diverse range of women in New Zealand. Our philosophies around leadership, particularly in leading the government's work on gender equality, very much align with Maori philosophies of inclusive leadership. Those are things like, not just recognizing that certain agencies and parts of government have mandate and power to do things, but also that leadership comes from humility and authenticity, as well as facilitation in connecting people to others who can also contribute to the work.

Status of Women committee  [Witness speaks in a foreign language] I greeted you in one of New Zealand's two official languages, te reo Maori, which is the language of the island indigenous people, the Maori in New Zealand. It's a great privilege to be able to be here with you this morning, and now I'll hand over to our chief executive officer, Jo Cribb, to begin our statement.