Indian-origin MPs present bills on virginity tests, liquor sales in New Zealand

Two Indian-origin MPs in New Zealand have introduced members’ bills to tackle important social issues. While the bill presented by Priyanca Radhakrishnan was aimed at criminalising virginity testing and hymenoplasty, the one by Parmjeet Parmar sought a balance between alcohol licensing and community well-being.

Radhakrishnan is an MP from the Opposition Labour Party. She became New Zealand’s first-ever Indian-origin minister in 2020.

Parmar, whose bill is aimed at ensuring a fair and transparent process in alcohol licensing, is from the ACT Party, which is part of the ruling coalition. She has been an MP since 2014.

VIRGINITY TESTING A VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS: KIWI MP

Radhakrishnan, the former Labour minister, called for virginity testing and hymenoplasty to be criminalised, citing violations of women’s human rights.

Hymenoplasty, also known as hymen repair surgery, is carried out with the intention of giving the appearance of having preserved virginity.

Radhakrishnan, 44, who has been a lawmaker since 2017, has proposed the Crimes (Virginity Testing Practices) Amendment Bill which “seeks to protect vulnerable women and girls by amending the Crimes Act 1961 to introduce new offences that criminalise virginity testing and the related practice of hymenoplasty”, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported on Thursday.

“In many societies around the world, purity before marriage is an expectation. In some cases, this gets taken further and the expectation is to prove it,” RNZ quoted the Indian-origin MP as saying.

“This is not a cultural practice; it’s rooted in patriarchy and is a human rights violation. Only women are expected to be pure and only women are punished if they’re not,” she added.

“The UK has already banned virginity testing and hymenoplasty, and the World Health Organisation has called for its global ban. It’s time New Zealand also recognises this form of gendered abuse and acts to end it,” she said.

Radhakrishnan said she received support from the community for the bill. Notably, her work has centered on empowering the voiceless, including domestic violence survivors and exploited migrant workers.

PARMAR’S BILL AIMS TO MAKE LIQUOR LICENSING FAIRER

Parmar, an ACT Party MP since 2023, was a National Party MP from 2014 to 2020.

Parmar’s Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Participation in Licensing Decisions) Amendment Bill “seeks to strike a balance between the rights of licensed businesses and the interests of the local community by ensuring a fair and transparent process for the application and renewal of liquor licenses”, according to the RNZ report.

Parmar said she introduced the bill to streamline alcohol licensing, aiming to reduce costs and uncertainty for businesses, after being alerted to issues by a business association.

“Many liquor shops are now having to spend significant amounts of time and money on consultants and lawyers to seek help against the uncertainty they face for the future of their business. The individuals who own these shops have invested their hard-earned savings and often have their homes mortgaged to build a life for themselves and their families,” Radio New Zealand quoted Parmar as saying.

“It is important that we have a balanced approach that respects the rights of legitimate businesses along with the interests of the community in the vicinity,” she added.

According to her, the bill aims to balance business rights and community interests by introducing a fair and transparent liquor licensing process.

WHAT IS MEMBERS’ BILL IN NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT?

Members’ bills are bills introduced by members who are not ministers. Every second Wednesday the House gives precedence to local, private, and members’ bills. On these days, members’ bills are debated, according to the New Zealand Parliament’s official website.

On each members’ day, at least eight members’ bills must be listed on the Order Paper for consideration. When a spot opens up, a ballot is held to decide which new bills will be introduced. MPs can enter their bills into the ballot by submitting a notice of proposal and a copy of the bill to the House Office — this can be done on any working day.

Once submitted, the proposed bill is published on the Parliament website, where other members can publicly show their support before the ballot takes place. If 61 or more non-executive members indicate support for a members’ bill, it gets introduced without needing to be selected through the ballot.

The two bills presented by the Indian-origin MPs in New Zealand deal with crucial issues on women’s rights and community welfare.