Save Women's Sport Australasia Applauds Bill to Define Biological Sex, Urges Sport NZ to Prioritise Fairness in Transgender Guidelines
Wednesday 23 April 2025, 2:32AM
By Save Women's Sport Australasia
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Save Women’s Sport Australasia (SWSA) applauds Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and New Zealand First for introducing a new member’s bill that would ensure the biological definition of a man and woman are defined in law.
The Legislation (Definitions of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill seeks to define “woman” as “an adult human biological female” and “man” as “an adult human biological male” in the Legislation Act 2019.
“This Members Bill, aimed at ensuring legal clarity and protecting sex-based rights, reinforces the need for Sport New Zealand to prioritise the fairness and safety of biological women in its Transgender Guiding Principles, as mandated by the coalition agreement between NZ First and National,” SWSA Spokeswoman Ro Edge says.
“We are deeply concerned that the updated guidelines, expected in June 2025, may fail to meet this requirement, continuing to prioritise ideology over biological reality,” Ms Edge says. “A recent UK Supreme Court ruling further supports this push by affirming that “sex” refers to biological sex—a standard Sport NZ must adopt to safeguard female athletes.”
She says the importance of biological sex in sport is undeniable, particularly in high-intensity and contact sports where physical differences can impact safety and fairness.
Last week the UK Supreme Court ruled that “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological women and sex, confirming that single-sex sports should be reserved for biological women to ensure fairness and safety, while trans individuals retain protections under gender reassignment provisions.
“As a member of the Commonwealth, New Zealand can draw on this precedent to interpret “sex” in our Human Rights Act 1993 and sporting policies as biological. Peters’ bill aligns with this global trend, supporting the coalition’s commitment to fair competition.”
SWSA fears Sport NZ’s updated guidelines may not address the competitive disadvantages and safety risks biological women face when competing against athletes born male. “The current review of the Transgender Guiding Principles, directed by the government, must reflect the coalition agreement’s focus on fairness. Peters’ bill provides a legislative framework to ensure policies, including those in sport, are grounded in biological reality, further emphasising the need for Sport NZ to act decisively.
“We call on Sports Minister Hon Mark Mitchell and the New Zealand government to ensure Sport NZ aligns with the UK ruling and Peters’ bill by adopting a clear, biology-based definition of sex in its policies, ensuring women’s sports remain a safe and fair space for female athletes at every level,” Ms Edge says.