Human Rights Commission 13 February 2004

MEDIA ALERT:
International Employment and Pay Equity Expert in New Zealand

Leading international employment and pay equity expert Denise Kingsmill arrives in New Zealand next week to debate the merits of the gender pay gap.

Mrs Kingsmill arrives on the eve of the report of the Taskforce on Pay and Employment Equity in the public service and public health and education sectors, which is scheduled to report in March.

While in New Zealand Mrs Kingsmill will meet with local business people and Government officials to discuss the British experience of employment and pay equity issues.

Until late last year Mrs Kingsmill was deputy Chair of the British Competition Commission. In 2001 she headed up an Independent Review of Women's Pay and Employment. In 2003 Mrs Kingsmill became Chair of the Task Force on Human Capital Management.

In her six years at the Commission Mrs Kingsmill chaired 20 inquiries into a diverse range of industries. Monopoly inquiries have included investigations into the pricing of new cars, the milk industry, underwriting services and more recently veterinary medicines. Merger inquiries have ranged from banking to cruise ships building materials to television rights.

Mrs Kingsmill is a non-executive director of Telewest Communications plc, which provides television and internet services in the UK, and of the Home Office.

Mrs Kingsmill, who was born in New Zealand, is a lawyer specialising in industrial relations, employment law and corporate governance. She has also recently been appointed Chair of Sadler's Wells Theatre.

Mrs Kingsmill is being hosted by the New Zealand Human Rights Commission EEO Commissioner, Dr Judy McGregor and the New Zealand Centre for Women and Leadership at Massey University.

ENDS

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