Olivia Wensley

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Olivia Wensley
Born (1985-04-25) 25 April 1985 (age 39)
New Zealand
EducationBachelor of Laws
Alma mater University of Canterbury, University of Waikato
Known forMeToo Activism

Olivia Wensley (born 25 April 1985) is a former lawyer and New Zealand #MeToo advocate. [1] She was the Chief Executive of Startup Queenstown Lakes from 2020-22. [2] Wensley says she has inspired hundreds to share their sexual harassment stories [3] and has been credited for making important efforts in highlighting the working conditions and harassment young legal practitioners can face as lawyers in New Zealand. [4]

Contents

Biography

Wensley studied law at the University of Canterbury and the University of Waikato, and worked as a lawyer in New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. [5]

On 28 February 2018, Wensley published a piece on LinkedIn titled We Need to Talk About Law's Dirty Little Secret, which was re-published by media outlet Stuff . [6] The article described sexual harassment Wensley had experienced at law firms; it quickly went viral and attracted international media attention. [7] [8] In speaking out, Wensley helped uncover other women's stories of rape, assault and harassment in the legal profession. [9]

Wensley has been a vocal critic of the New Zealand Law Society's handling of the Russell McVeagh scandal, where it has been alleged that multiple interns were sexually assaulted and harassed during the summer of 2016/2017 – causing national outrage. [10] [11] Wensley has called for stronger sanctions against sexual offenders in the legal profession. [12]

In March 2018, Wensley was one of many stakeholders to meet with the New Zealand Minister of Justice, Andrew Little [13] who reconfirmed his commitment to holding the legal profession to account over sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace. [14]

Wensley was one of 488 nominees for 2019 New Zealander of the Year. [15] [16]

Political career

Wensley contested the mayor of Queenstown-Lakes position in the 2022 New Zealand local elections in a mayoral race that was marred by dirty politics aimed at Wensley [17] by parties associated with eventual Mayor Glyn Lewers and another mayoral candidate Jon Mitchell. Wensley would go onto place third, receiving 2,531 of 12,272 votes cast. [18] [19] in the mayoralty race.

Wensley's personal business interests in property development [20] [21] and her father-in-law's involvement in New Zealand's leaky home crisis was a feature of mayoralty race even though she was still a Secondary School student at the time and it would be years before she would meet her future father in law. Advocates for Lewers made repeated attempts to link a proposed rates-rise with Wensley due to her father-in-law. [22] [23] Opposing candidates Glyn Lewers and Jon Mitchell said that Wensley would have to recuse herself from key council decisions if she were to be elected because of conflicts of interest stemming from these matters. [20] [24] During the election campaign Wensley denied these claims and made registered complaints to the electoral officer and stated her intention to sue those who made them for defamation, but after the election said it was "not worth the energy." [20] [25]

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References

  1. ↑ "#Metoo advocate backs new app for reporting discrimination in the workplace". Stuff. December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  2. ↑ "Mayoral candidate stands aside from job". Otago Daily Times. 14 September 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  3. ↑ "Law's dirty little secret is exposed. What next?". Otago Daily Times Online News. 25 March 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  4. ↑ "#Metoo and the need for a lawyers' union". Stuff. 25 June 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  5. ↑ "Law firm 'like a frat house': former employee". Otago Daily Times Online News. 1 March 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  6. ↑ "We need to talk about law's dirty little secret". Stuff. 28 February 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  7. ↑ "Culture Shift Conference 2018". www.workplacebullying.org. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  8. ↑ "Law firm slammed: 'It was like a frat house'". NewsComAu. 28 February 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  9. ↑ "Otago law students not ready to forgive Russell McVeagh". Stuff. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  10. ↑ "Widespread harassment being 'swept under the carpet' – former lawyer Olivia Wensley". Newshub. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  11. ↑ "What Russell McVeagh told its summer clerks". Newsroom. 13 March 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  12. ↑ "Law firm partner fined $12,500 for sexually harassing staff". Stuff. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  13. ↑ "Unacceptable culture and conduct". The Beehive. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  14. ↑ "Andrew Little reaffirms commitment to tackling workplace harassment". Newshub. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  15. ↑ "2019 New Zealander of the Year Awards Update". www.scoop.co.nz. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  16. ↑ "Inspirational names among 2019 Nominations". nzawards.org.nz. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  17. ↑ "Queenstown mayoralty hopeful Olivia Wensley: 'We need more diversity and voices'". RNZ. 26 May 2022.
  18. ↑ "Final results announced in QLDC local election". Queenstown Lakes District Council. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  19. ↑ McGregor, Catherine (8 October 2022). "Jules Radich beats incumbent Aaron Hawkins to become Dunedin mayor". The Spinoff. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  20. 1 2 3 Jamieson, Debbie (28 September 2022). "'Dirty politics' in Queenstown mayoral campaign, candidate looks to sue". Stuff. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  21. ↑ Williams, David (19 September 2022). "Crisis hits resort town of have and have-nots". Newsroom. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  22. ↑ Roxburgh, Tracey (1 August 2022). "Reviewing burden". www.scene.co.nz. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  23. ↑ "'Substantial chunk' of expected rates increase down to leaky-building claims". Otago Daily Times Online News. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  24. ↑ Jamieson, Debbie (2 September 2022). "The Queenstown Lakes mayoral race: Who will replace Jim Boult?". Stuff. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  25. ↑ Jamieson, Debbie (12 December 2022). "Losing Queenstown Lakes mayoral campaigns funded by rich-listers". Stuff. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
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