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Pay Equity Changes Passed Under Urgency – Wāhine Māori Carry the Cost

A law passed under urgency is about to make it a whole lot harder for wāhine Māori to be paid what they’re worth. Here's what changed — and why it matters.

Explainer | Pay Equity |
The Pay Equity Amendment Bill has now passed under urgency — with 33 active claims scrapped, new barriers introduced, and less protection for workers in low-paid, female-dominated sectors.

While the Government says the law will save billions, wāhine Māori will pay the real price.

These are the very workers who held us together during the pandemic. Now, those same roles — kaiāwhina, hauora workers, kaiako, care staff — are being stripped of the tools to fight for fair pay.

This law was passed under urgency, a process that skips public consultation and allows Parliament to fast-track legislation. Many have called this an abuse of process — especially with the Budget just weeks away.

What is pay equity — and did it work?

The pay equity process was set up in 2020 to help fix the fact that jobs mostly done by women — like caregiving, admin, teaching and support work — have been underpaid for years.

It gave workers a way to prove that their job was being paid less because it’s seen as “women’s work,” and compare it to similar male-dominated jobs. If the work was found to be undervalued, the pay had to go up.

And it actually worked.

Since the process began, thousands of workers — including teacher aides, kaiāwhina, DHB nurses and social workers — have had their pay increased. Most of these roles are filled by wāhine Māori and Pacific women.

The process wasn’t perfect, but it was finally starting to close the pay gap.

What’s changed?

The Government has now changed the rules — making it much harder for workers to raise a pay equity claim.

Here’s what’s different:

  • It’s harder to even get started
    You now have to prove your job has been at least 70% female for 10 years and that it’s currently undervalued. Before, it only had to be 60% female and “arguable.”
  • 33 active claims have been cancelled
    That includes claims involving more than 150,000 workers — many of them in health, education and care work. These will all need to start again under the new rules.
    Interestingly, 32 of these 33 claims reportedly meet the new criteria — raising questions about why they were really thrown out.
  • You can’t compare across sectors anymore
    Claims can now only compare your job to similar roles in the same or similar workplaces.
    Before, a care worker could compare their role to a trades job like engineering — exposing the pay gap. Now, that’s no longer allowed.
  • No more reviews to keep pay fair over time
    Future settlements won’t include clauses to check whether pay stays fair in the long run.

Together, these changes make it a lot harder for wāhine Māori to prove their mahi is undervalued, to challenge unfair pay, and to keep pay equity in place. It risks locking in the very pay gaps the process was designed to fix.

“He wāhine, he whenua — ka mate te tangata”

If women and land are not cared for, the people will suffer.

This whakataukī sits heavy right now. Because this is about more than policy — it’s about value. About whose work gets recognised, and whose doesn’t. About who is seen, and who’s left carrying the load in silence.

Wāhine Māori have always shown up for this country. Through COVID, through crisis, in homes, schools, clinics, marae, and community spaces. Often underpaid. Often unseen. But never not giving.

And now, a system that was finally starting to bring balance — that was helping to close the pay gap, lift the mana of wāhine Māori, and value the work that holds our people together — has been stripped back.

This law may save the Government money. But it comes at the cost of fairness. Of justice. Of the very people who are still holding it all up.

Why this hits wāhine Māori hardest

  • Wāhine Māori earn around 22% less than Pākehā men
  • They’re overrepresented in low-paid care, education and admin roles
  • They’re often in roles that are essential but undervalued
  • The Ministry for Women calls this a “gap within a gap” — Māori women face both gender and ethnic pay inequities

We honour the mahi of wāhine Māori. We see you. We will keep fighting with you. Because equity isn’t something that should be up for debate — not now, not ever.

“Me aro koe ki te hā o Hineahuone.”

Pay heed to the breath, the essence, the mana of wāhine.

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