Simon Court has a pitch for menstruators

PoliticsFebruary 17, 2025

Exclusive: We found Act MP Simon Court’s full menstrual cup sales pitch

Senior writer

Simon Court has a pitch for menstruators

Alex Casey unearths Simon Court’s full sales pitch for how menstrual cups could end poverty.

On Friday last week, Act MP Simon Court was accused of “mansplaining” during a parliamentary committee hearing about benefit sanctions. After submitter Rachel Dibble shared her concerns about period poverty and the impact that sanctions could have on the “fundamental need” for young women to purchase menstrual products, Court had a question, nay, an idea, nay, a vision for how he could help.

“I’m not sure if you’re aware, or if people that you engage with are aware, of the menstrual cup, which is a reusable product available for about $15 from Chemist Warehouse,” he began. “Do you think if people knew more about how to access products like that, that this concern, this anxiety you have, might be somewhat mitigated?”

It’s easy to roll your eyes at the ignorance. Obviously it ignores the many cultural, logistical and personal reasons why menstrual cups don’t work for everyone, not to mention the fact that one $15 purchase won’t lift anyone out of poverty, or that solving period inequity shouldn’t fall on those having the roughest go of it.

But watch the footage even closer and you’ll see a glimmer of something else in Court’s eyes. Could it be that Simon Court is actually just a boy, sitting in front of a Zoom camera, trying to get a brand deal with his beloved Chemist Warehouse? And if so, shouldn’t we hear out his full sales pitch, as obtained exclusively by The Spinoff?

Hi, I’m Simon Court: Act MP, former civil engineer and current menstruation ambassador.

I’m not sure if you’re aware, or if people that you engage with are aware, but there’s an amazing new product that you can buy here, at Chemist Warehouse, for only $15. It’s called a menstrual cup – a cup for your menstruation – and I’m here to tell you more about how it can help empower individuals to take control of things in their own lives.

I’m not sure if you’re aware, or if the people that you engage with are aware, but menstruation only occurs for one week every month. You probably don’t know this, but there are four weeks in every month, and 52 weeks in a year. That means that for 36 weeks, or 252 days, a simple $15 menstrual cup from Chemist Warehouse could be used in so many other amazing ways to help you save money.

I’m not sure if you’re aware, or if the people that you engage with are aware, but menstrual cups are made from high grade silicon, which any civil engineer worth their salt will tell you is a hugely useful material around the home. When you aren’t using it to capture the traumatic torrent of blood falling from the inside of your body, you should be aware of its alternate household uses as a thimble, a spinning top, or a bee feeder.

As a former civil engineer, I’d also like to speak to the suction properties of a menstrual cup, which I believe could allow individuals a cost-effective transport option. I’m not sure if you are aware of the documentary Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, where Tom Cruise climbs a skyscraper with suction gloves, but I’d encourage individuals to watch it and consider how their menstrual cup could get them from A to B.

But wait, there’s more. You probably haven’t the foggiest idea of this, but when you turn a menstrual cup upside down, it looks like a little hat. I’d encourage individuals to seek out this option as an empowering and cost-effective way to accessorise. Individuals can also access a free online resource called Pinterest, where you can find inspiring ideas around using menstrual cups as budget-friendly Christmas decorations.

Tom Cruise modelling another use for menstrual cups

Finally, I’m not sure if you, your friends, your colleagues, or anyone you’ve ever met is aware, but a menstrual cup can hold 30ml of liquid, or the equivalent of two tablespoons. For just the one off price of $15, individuals could also use their cup as a cost-effective way to measure out ingredients, or perhaps a standard shot of vodka because some guy on Zoom reckons they are only still poor because they buy tampons.

Alas, we didn’t get to hear any of this compelling pitch because, in reality, Court’s bold offer was immediately met with confusion, shock and objection. The submitter Rachel Dibble responded by saying that “I don’t think that a $15 menstrual cup is an answer to benefit sanctions, respectfully.” Te Pāti Māori’s Mariameno Kapa-Kingi was less restrained. “I don’t get it, why would a guy ask a woman that question? Just saying it is absolutely absurd and I object to it.”

“It is completely disrespectful,” she continued. “It has no regard for the essence of her conversation and it is deeply offensive, not surprising but it is offensive.” The chair quickly moved on to the next item on the agenda, and Simon Court’s Chemist Warehouse dream was flushed away. If only they had been aware that, for the bargain bin price of just $15 each, they could have used their menstrual cups as ear plugs the whole time.

Keep going!

A snow-capped mountain reflected in a calm lake, with wispy clouds in a clear purple sky. Wavy patterns frame the image, enhancing an ethereal and serene atmosphere.

Taranaki maunga (Image design: Tina Tiller)

ĀteaFebruary 17, 2025

Legal personhood for Taranaki: transformative or tokenistic?

Catherine Murupaenga-Ikenn

Guest writer

Taranaki maunga (Image design: Tina Tiller)

Is humanising a mountain the path to real transformation, or does it signal the need for a cultural paradigm shift in the operating system?

Recently, a family member shared their delight at the news of Taranaki Maunga becoming a legal person.

Of course, I was pleased for the eight Taranaki iwi. We should acknowledge progress in addressing historical Tiriti grievances, even if granting legal personality to an entity is a relatively small step – arguably the least the Crown can do. For those familiar with these issues, the question remains: will this recognition lead to meaningful change? Personally, I have only ever known or referred to the maunga as “Taranaki”.

At the same time, this news prompted deeper reflection. While legal personhood can serve as a tool for environmental protection, many Indigenous peoples find it problematic. It has its critics – including myself, as I have expressed in international indigenous human rights and environmental defender forums.

Indigenous perspectives on nature are deeply rooted in spiritual and kinship connections, guided by values such as respect, intergenerational responsibility, and mauri. Western legal constructs struggle to accommodate these values – more often than not, they fail entirely. These constructs are grounded in a colonial framework designed for control and exploitation, maintaining a dynamic where a powerful minority dictates terms over both nature and the vast majority of humanity. Legal personhood oversimplifies indigenous cosmological relationships. From a Māori perspective, natural entities such as maunga are tuakana – our evolved, senior kin.

It is, therefore, both ironic and audacious to impose upon them a legal framework originally designed for teina – junior kin, in this case, humans. Instead, we should aspire to elevate our own values and actions to align with the guardianship principles of our atua, ensuring that manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga are embedded in all that we do. If this became New Zealand’s norm, the colonisers’ so-called protective laws and regulations would be rendered unnecessary.

‘If you regularly enjoy The Spinoff, and want it to continue, become a member today.’

Toby Manhire
— Editor-at-large

As it stands, legal personhood for Taranaki Maunga could serve as convenient greenwashing and indigenous-washing, allowing the state to appear ethical while continuing to perpetuate its colonial agenda. This move may be largely symbolic, a tokenistic gesture. A legal test case could potentially argue that degradation of the maunga’s mauri – through biodiversity loss or ecosystem destruction – is akin to “homicide” or a violation of human rights, such as the right to life or self-determination.

Yet, even humans struggle to defend their own rights within a so-called justice system that is structurally incapable of protecting what we value. Western legal systems emphasise rights while largely ignoring obligations – a separate but critical conversation. The real proof of their failure is the unfolding meta-crisis around us. If colonial legal frameworks were effective, we wouldn’t be witnessing the ecological collapse currently under way. It is likely that legal personhood, despite its symbolic significance, will face the same systemic barriers.

A more transformative approach for Aotearoa would be cultural change, whether led by the government or civil society. Several actions could drive this shift. First, an honest and compulsory school curriculum should include an accurate history of Māori-Crown relations, the true meaning of te Tiriti (not the distorted interpretations of reactionary politicians), and a deep integration of te reo me ōna tikanga. A strong civics education would also empower people to understand their rights and responsibilities as citizens. Secondly, constitutional transformation is essential. This could involve entrenching He Whakaputanga and te Tiriti, safeguarding environmental protections, affirming human rights, and ensuring that corporate interests do not override these principles.

One positive outcome from the disastrous Treaty principles bill – described by the Aotearoa Liberation League as a rehash of the Act Party’s 2005 bill (zombie ideas, it seems, are hard to kill) – is that it has sparked a national conversation. People are now debating the true interpretation of te Tiriti, the urgent need for constitutional transformation, and its vital role in environmental protection and restoration. If enough people in Aotearoa embrace this moment and push for change, we may finally turn the tide.