Why Women Matter in this Election and Beyond

Join us for Suffrage Day!

A panel discussion, including Allanah Clark, Fleur Fitzsimons and Tessa Mackay, and light kai / tea & coffee.

Fleur Fitzsimons is the National Secretary of the New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pukenga Here Tikanga Mahi which is New Zealand's largest union.  Fleur was previously a lawyer for the PSA for many years and worked on litigation on equal pay, the right to strike and collective bargaining. She was also a Wellington City Councillor from for 5 years from 2017.

Tessa Mackay was born and raised in Kāpiti and is currently completing a Master of International Relations at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. She previously completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Political Science and International Relations, and is the Labour Youth Representative for the Kāpiti Central Branch. Tessa has been involved in political and community activism from a young age. During her time at Kāpiti College, she served as President of Girl Up and helped organise the 2021 School Strike for Climate. She first became involved in local election campaigns supporting Sophie Handford in 2019 and again in 2022 and has since contributed to Labour campaigns across the region, including Terisa Ngobi's Ōtaki campaign and Ibrahim Omer's Wellington Central campaign.

Allanah Clark is a teacher, trade unionist, feminist, mother, and lifelong advocate for social justice. A dedicated movement member since joining the Princes Street branch in 2005, she has served in numerous leadership and governance roles, including office holder in the Rongotai LEC, member of the Labour Women’s Sector Executive, and volunteer across dozens of local and central government campaigns.

Professionally, Allanah works as a Campaign Adviser at NZEI Te Riu Roa, where she drives industrial, professional, and political strategy across the early childhood education sector. Beyond her day job, she plays an active role in shaping Aotearoa’s broader union movement as co-convener of the NZCTU Women’s Council and a member of the National Affiliates Council.

The panel discussion will be facilitated by Sophie Handford, the Labour candidate for Kapiti.