Source: Auckland YWCA
The Government’s proposed amendments to the Equal Pay Act 1972 represent a major setback for pay equity and a breach of women’s fundamental rights, says leading gender advocate Dellwyn Stuart, co-founder of Mind the Gap and CEO of YWCA Auckland.
“This move takes us backwards, not forwards,” says Ms Stuart. “It remains a violation of women’s human rights to be paid unfairly, and this Government is dismantling decades of hard-won progress to close the gender pay gap.”
Female-dominated professions – including care work, nursing, and early childhood education – continue to be underpaid and undervalued compared to traditionally male-dominated sectors, despite their essential role in the wellbeing of Aotearoa.
“We saw during Covid-19 how vital these roles are to society. Nurses and carers were rightly recognised as essential. Now, those same workers are being told that fair pay is off the table – that their aspirations for financial security and dignity at work don’t count,” says Ms Stuart.
She warns that these changes will likely worsen the existing workforce crisis: “Skilled workers will continue to seek better opportunities overseas, leaving our health and social systems even more vulnerable.
“With many pay equity claims involving government-employed workforces, Ms Stuart points to the contradiction at the heart of current policymaking: “This coalition government is actively perpetuating pay discrimination. At the same time, the Minister for Women is travelling the country asking businesses to close their pay gaps. How can the Government expect the private sector to commit to pay equity when it is not leading by example?”
The gender pay gap remains a significant issue in Aotearoa New Zealand, particularly affecting Māori and Pacific women, who are already over-represented in lower-income statistics. While the national gender pay gap sits at 8.2%, it rises to 15% for Māori women and 17.3% for Pacific women (Source: Ministry for Women, 2024).
“If we’re serious about fairness and decency in this country, we need to properly value the work of those who contribute the most to the wellbeing of our society,” say Ms Stuart.
