New Zealand urged to make gender pay gap reporting mandatory

The New Zealand government is being urged to follow Australia's footsteps and make gender pay gap reporting mandatory across workplaces.

Melissa Ansell-Bridges, secretary of the NZ Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU), said greater pay transparency through mandatory reporting will empower women to improve their pay.

"Government has a chance to significantly improve the standard of living for women across the country by following expert advice and Australia's lead. They need to take it," Ansell-Bridges said in a statement.

Australia in February published for the first time ever gender pay gaps for nearly 5,000 private sector employers, revealing a 21.7% pay gap across the country.

The previous New Zealand government intended to introduce a similar legislation in 2023 but was unable to do so before the election in October.

Ansell-Bridges stated that the National Party and employer organisations previously supported the planned legislation.

"The government needs to live up to their words in opposition and introduce legislation that requires pay gap reporting," the NZCTU secretary said.

New Zealand's pay gap

The gender pay gap in New Zealand is at 8.6% as of the June 2023 quarter, according to data from Stats NZ.

This is much lower than the 16.3% logged in 1998 when the government started recording, but Ansell-Bridges said it remains "unacceptable" that women are still being paid 8.6% less than men.

"The gender pay gap for wāhine Māori, Pacific and Asian women, and disabled women is significantly higher," she said. "No one in New Zealand should suffer the indignity of pay discrimination due to their gender or ethnicity."