Australia 1, New Zealand 0 In Race To Close The Pay Gap

Australia has trounced New Zealand in moves to address the inequality of pay gaps.

Today (Wednesday 8 February), the Australian Government introduced new legislation to Parliament that would require employers with more than 100 workers to publish their gender pay gaps.

In Australia, the gender pay gap is just over 14%, in New Zealand that gap is around 9% but much larger for Māori and Pasifika as well as in corporate New Zealand.

Australia’s Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher has been quoted as saying the gender pay gap is holding that country’s economy back with $51.8 billion a year lost when it comes to women’s pay.

MindTheGap New Zealand founders Jo Cribb and Dellwyn Stuart are calling on Prime Minister Chris Hipkins to support his Minister for Women Jan Tinetti to follow Australia’s example.

“Losing to Australia in any field doesn’t sit comfortably with New Zealanders but falling behind on something as important as paying us all equitably is an embarrassment for a country that was first to give women the vote,” says Dr Cribb.

“Australia is following international best practice that shows that countries, where businesses are required to report pay gaps, are more likely to succeed in closing the gap. If you measure your pay gap, you are more likely to question why you have one and do something about it.”

Last October the Government announced that it had asked the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women (NACEW) to consider both gender and ethnicity in relation to pay transparency and provide advice on pay transparency tools that will support businesses to identify their gender and ethnic pay gaps, and what measures we can take to reduce them.

Dr Cribb says New Zealanders are supportive of a change in legislation.

“Businesses have led the way by registering their pay gap reporting. We have presented a petition signed by almost 9000 New Zealanders, a poll that shows 75% of kiwis want mandatory reporting. Charities and Unions have told us how urgent this is. What more proof does this Government need?”

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