12. CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green) Link to this
to the Minister of Women's Affairs
How will New Zealand’s forthcoming report to the UN under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women explain the Government’s decision to axe the pay and employment equity unit?
Hon PANSY WONG (Minister of Women’s Affairs) Link to this
The work of the pay and employment equity unit within the Department of Labour was discontinued in 2009, following the completion of reviews in the State sector and the development of a full set of resources. The pay and employment equity tool kits continue to be made available to employers and individuals who request them on the Department of Labour’s website. In 1972 it was a former National Government that passed the equal pay Act.
Catherine Delahunty Link to this
Why will the report imply there was nothing left for the pay and employment equity unit to do, when its findings on gender pay gaps across the public sector clearly show that this was not true?
That is why the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, which for many years has not had budget increases, received $2 million to tackle the pay gap. We are looking at new ways of tackling it, including working with industry training organisations on breaking into male-dominated sectors, and including flexible work practice. Can I share with the House the OECD report—
Mr SPEAKERThe Minister will resume her seat. It seemed to me that the Minister answered the question that was asked. She may wish to share with the House all sorts of things, but this is question time, and this is when questions are asked and answered.
Catherine Delahunty Link to this
Can the Minister confirm that when Cabinet agreed to axe the unit, it was committed to supporting the implementation of pay equity response plans in the public sector?
Like I said, the resource kit is there to be used. All the chief executives have the responsibility to ensure that they are following through with all their reviews, and, of course, the ministry has $2 million to tackle the pay gap issue. According to the OECD report, which was published this year, New Zealand has the third-lowest wage gap out of—
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I think the question was commendably short, brief, and to the point. It asked about the implementation of the plans that were in place before the Minister took over and responsibility was transferred to her department. Nothing that she said referred to the question.
Because there is a genuine public interest in this issue, and, after all, today is a celebration of suffrage, I ask Catherine Delahunty to repeat her question. I ask the House to listen to it carefully.
Catherine Delahunty Link to this
Can the Minister confirm that when Cabinet agreed to axe the unit, it was committed to supporting the implementation of pay equity response plans in the public sector?
When the review was completed by the pay and employment equity unit, the results of the review and the resource kits developed at that time were made available for all departments to implement, and all chief executives are held responsible for making sure that is being done.
Catherine Delahunty Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I am still seeking an answer on the issue of the implementation of pay equity response plans.
Everyone listened very carefully to the question. I absolutely accept that what the member said was what she asked. It seems that the Minister has answered that her interpretation of the response plans that the member is referring to seems to relate to a tool kit of mechanisms available. If that is the Minister’s interpretation of what the member is asking, then there is not a lot that I can do about that as Speaker. We have to take the Minister’s advice that those plans seem to be incorporated in that tool kit of mechanisms.
Catherine Delahunty Link to this
I seek leave to table a minute of the Cabinet economic growth and infrastructure committee from August 2009, noting Cabinet’s decision to support the implementation of response plans.
Catherine Delahunty Link to this
Why is there no reference to progress on pay equity response plans in the draft report to the United Nations, when Cabinet has agreed to support them?
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women report consists of a broad-based report card for 4 years on what New Zealand has done to comply with that convention. That would be the best response, because with the 40-page report, there is a limit. We believe we have covered all the topics that we need to report on, but the ministry is going through consultation with women’s organisations. If it is found that there are omissions, then we will be happy to look at that.
Catherine Delahunty Link to this
Is it not misleading for New Zealand’s report to the United Nations to refer to the pay and employment equity unit as evidence of progress, when its recommendations have not been implemented and it has been unceremoniously axed?
In the report we have a range of issues to comment on. In fact, as I quoted from the OECD report published in 2010, New Zealand has the third-lowest gender wage gap out of 26 countries. That is something we can be proud of, but the National Government will never become complacent on behalf of New Zealand women. That is why the Ministry of Women’s Affairs received an additional $2 million of funding to continue to tackle the gender pay gap, which is 12 percent—5 percent lower than Australia’s.
Catherine Delahunty Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I asked a specific question about how the report refers to the pay and employment equity unit and its axing. I did not ask about gender pay equity in general; it was a specific question asking whether it was misleading to report on this unit to the United Nations, given that the Government has axed it.
That may be the member’s view in asking the question, but the Minister gave a different view in answering it. If I recollect what the member said correctly, she asked why is it appropriate—or something like that—that the report does not cover this particular issue, and the Minister, in answering, said what the report did cover and argued that that was the important thing to cover. When it comes to a matter of opinion, it is a difference of opinion between the member and the Minister, and I cannot judge between those two positions.
Sue MoroneyWhy does her draft report with regard to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women fail to mention her Government’s decision to scrap pay equity reviews for school support workers and social workers?
I was just asked by one member why we mentioned the unit at all, and the other member’s question covers all sorts of things. This is actually not as much my report as it is the Government’s report on the last 4 years, compiled from feedback from each Government department. It is only 40 pages long. There is only so much that we can record in it.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Again, that was a very specific question about two particular reports and why they were not mentioned, and that was not addressed.
I hear what the member is saying, but I have to say in defence of the Minister that—far be it for me to judge the quality of the answer—I think she told the House that there was not room in the report to include that matter. Members can judge for themselves the quality of the answer and the quality of the decision, but it is not for me as Speaker to do that. I believe that is an answer to the question. The Minister was asked why, and that was what she said: there was not room in the 40-page report.