Denise Lee, MP for Maungakieke

Confirmation from a second working group into pay equity principles that National’s policy settings were largely on the right track should encourage the Government to support a private member’s Bill, National MP Denise Lee says.

Maungakiekie MP Denise Lee’s Employment (Pay Equity and Equal Pay) Bill re-introduces the previous Government’s pay equity legislation which was withdrawn from Parliament in November last year by the Labour Government.

“The reconvened Joint Working Group on Pay Equity Principles has reported back to Ministers reconfirming the principles recommended by the first Group to the National Government.

“The reconvened Group has changed just one principle to clarify and simplify the process for initiating a pay equity claim and has agreed that principles on comparators are appropriate and sufficient.

“Given this, it’s my hope that the Government will now support my Bill at its First Reading to Select Committee so we can make progress as quickly as possible.

“This Bill is a significant step towards closing the gender pay gap by ensuring female-dominated jobs are paid fairly,” Ms Lee says.

“It sets out a practical and fair process for employees working in jobs predominantly performed by women to follow if they believe they are not being paid what their job is worth.

“We are committed to achieving pay equity in New Zealand. Addressing and correcting the pay imbalance will benefit individual women, their families, and future generations of New Zealanders.”

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