Louise Nicholas is my New Zealander of the Year. Yes, I know this honour has gone to our sporting great Richie McCaw. As captain of the World Cup winning All Black team he has been an exceptional leader both on and off the field. And he should be recognised for his outstanding sporting achievements. But this year there was an opportunity for a woman to be honoured for the major difference she has made in the lives of girls and women in this country now and into the future.
Louise Nicholas's story is well-documented. Her book is a good read. She accused serving police officers of sexually violating her in the 1970s in the Bay of Plenty. Years later she set about trying to get someone to listen, to investigate her story and complaints of rape. She wanted someone held accountable. Brought to justice. In other words she took on a justice system that, at that time, was more interested in covering up rather than uncovering and ensuring justice would prevail and be served in the long run.
I remember when the story was making headlines. Court case after court case. How vilified she was. And don't think the media was impartial and fair. Many were not. She exposed a side to New Zealand life that we didn't want to know about. What the public couldn't seem to grasp was that abuse of power is a powerful weapon. To be protected by those who use it at all costs. Used with force it keeps people in their place. It keeps them quiet. It is used to manipulate. To tell a completely different story to the one that is trying to be revealed. It is corrupt and has many powerful friends. Taking on a justice system sworn to uphold the law. Now that takes courage and bravery. You have to be dogged. Have to be able to stay the distance, sometimes over many years. It can be a lonely and often scary place to be.
That's why Louise Nicholas deserved to be New Zealander of the Year 2016. She triumphed in the end. She has since gone on to assist, train and support police officers to recognise sexual violence as the scourge that it is. Unfortunately this country has a high tolerance to it. But now when a complaint is laid it will not be minimised and personal judgements will not come into it. Girls and women who report offending will be taken seriously. Investigations will be conducted and there should be no fear when reporting offenders. There is a safe environment for a story to be told. They will be listened to.
Louise Nicholas is brave. It only takes one person to stand up and be counted. But how many ever do. Putting yourself out there for everyone to take a pot shot, to make their own judgement on your behaviour, and they certainly did, takes courage. It is this courage I wanted the judges to understand. I wanted them to show some too. They didn't. They played it safe. They honoured an exceptional New Zealander in Richie McCaw. In Louise Nicholas they would have been honouring a fearless woman who took on the might of a justice system and won. This would have sent a clear message that girls and women in this country are valued. They matter. And a woman who sticks it up a corrupt and dishonest system is a legend.
