10. CAROL BEAUMONT (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Women's Affairs
Is it still the priority of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to close the gender pay gap?
Hon KATE WILKINSON (Minister of Conservation) Link to this
The Minister has a range of priorities and that is one of them.
What has been done to action a suggestion made in the December issue of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs newsletter, Pānui, that there is a need to “speed progress” to eliminate the gender pay gap, which is urgent in light of the real financial pressure facing many low and middle income New Zealand families?
Hon KATE WILKINSON Link to this
I say to that member that obviously the ministry has done some tremendously good work, because the pay gap has fallen from 13 percent in 2008 to 11.3 percent in 2009 and to 10.6 percent in 2010—the third lowest in the OECD.
Is the Minister aware that the income survey she has just referred to showed that overall wages had dropped 1.7 percent and that inflation had risen 1.7 percent, showing that real wages went backwards 3.4 percent, and that is no reason to celebrate?
Hon KATE WILKINSON Link to this
I say to that member that had Labour been in Government, the wage gap would have been even worse —
Mr SPEAKERThe Minister should make some attempt to answer the question. The question, admittedly, was an opinion question; it asked whether the Minister was aware of something. But to just attack the questioner’s party is not the way to start answering a question.
Hon KATE WILKINSON Link to this
I would have to say that those numbers can be disputed and are disputed. I refer to previous comments that have been made by both the Minister of Women’s Affairs and the Prime Minister.
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Those figures, which the Minister quoted herself, were from the—
The point of order procedure is not for disputing the Minister’s answer. The member can ask a further supplementary question if she disagrees with the answer.
I would like to table the New Zealand Income Survey for the June 2010 quarter, which contains the figures that the Minister used and also the figures I used.
There must be silence, because I missed the detail of the document the member is seeking leave to table.
Those statistics releases are available to everyone, so I will not be putting the leave to table that document.
What would the Minister say to education support staff, school support workers, and other women who are doing important jobs but earning less than they should because of gender discrimination and who are struggling to manage family budgets and ever-rising prices?
Hon KATE WILKINSON Link to this
I would say to those women that they should be grateful that there is a National Government that has a focus of lifting New Zealand’s economic performance and ensuring the well-being of families and communities.