The National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women is an independent Ministerial advisory body to the Minister for Women.
Since it was established in 1967, the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women (NACEW) has worked to address immediate employment needs, identify emerging employment issues, and commission research.
NACEW's role is to:
- express views and make recommendations to the Minister for Women on matters relating to the employment of women
- identify systems and strategies to improve outcomes for women in employment
- provide or access in-depth information on women in employment
- use networks to identify partnerships, collaborate with key stakeholders, and provide feedback to the Minister for Women on initiatives for women in employment from these groups.
NACEW is independent from Manatū Wāhine Ministry for Women. The Ministry provides a policy and administrative support (secretariat) role to NACEW.
Further information is available in NACEW’s Terms of Reference.
Membership
In November 2025, the following members were appointed to NACEW for a three-year term.
Members include a Chair appointed by the Minister for Women and two members are appointed from contributing organisations - the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions and BusinessNZ.
The current members of NACEW are:
- Traci Houpapa MNZM JP (Waikato Maniapoto, Taranaki, Tūwharetoa), Chair: Traci has extensive governance experience and is a recognised industry leader. She is a professional company director and advisor specialising in strategic and economic for Māori, iwi, and public and private sector clients, particularly in the Indigenous and primary industries sector.
- Michelle Huang: Michelle brings leadership and governance experience across education, not-for-profit, and corporate sectors. She is committed to expanding pathways for underrepresented communities to participate, lead, and thrive. Michelle is a Council Member of AUT, a Board Member of Student Job Search, and the Chair and Co-Founder of MYLN (Multiethnic Young Leaders NZ).
- Zoe Lyon-Gifford: Zoe brings extensive governance and leadership experience across the health, education, and community sectors, with strengths in strategy, people and culture, equity, and transformational change. Her work is grounded in community-led decision making, systems thinking, and partnerships, with a strong track record in advancing equitable employment for women, Māori, Pasifika, rainbow, and disabled communities.
- Lyn McMorran (BusinessNZ): Lyn is Executive Director of the Financial Services Federation, the industry body representing New Zealand’s specialist lending sector. She is Chair of the New Zealand Society of Association Executives.
- Melissa Ansell-Bridges (NZCTU): Melissa is National Secretary of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions. She is skilled and experienced in improving the working lives of New Zealanders, with a particular focus on workers in precarious work, women, and young people.
NACEW's Partners
NACEW has two contributing partner organisations, New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU) and BusinessNZ, and five additional partners: