Census Incenses

Following the release of the Human Rights Commission’s New Zealand Census of Women’s Participation 2010, the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) is encouraged that the private sector is showing some commitment to promoting women into leadership. The same however cannot be said for the leadership shown towards addressing the gender pay gap in the public service. “A gender pay gap of 38.81% (for one Government agency) is unacceptable,” says Elizabeth Bang, NCWNZ National President, “particularly when considered in the context that only ten out of 34 Government agencies were below the national average gender pay gap of 13%.”

According to the report, seven Government agencies were unaware that the pay and employment equity review had identified starting salaries as an issue that generated the gendered income disparity.

The percentage of female public service chief executives has declined since the 2008 Census report. Women from ethnic groups other than European are under-represented in senior management, and of those European women, they too in comparison with men are again woefully under-represented.

“This follows on from, the many Government agencies which represented those bodies increasing the gender pay gap in the country, stating that the women tended to be employed in lower graded roles,” says Elizabeth Bang.

“There are no circumstances which could validate the Government allowing the public service to increase the gender pay gap in this country,” says Elizabeth Bang. “Women do have equal rights and it is long overdue that their pay packets were equal too.”

ENDS

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