Canterbury’s gender pay gap

How does Canterbury compare to the rest of New Zealand regarding pay parity for women?

Recent controversy around the government’s proposed changes to the Equal Pay Act has put a spotlight on a distinct lack of progress in achieving gender pay parity across New Zealand.

Expressed as a percentage, the gender pay gap is the difference between women’s and men’s earnings in the workforce at a job, organisation, industry, and national level.

According to statistics from the Ministry for Women, the gender pay gap in New Zealand has reduced steadily from 16.3% in 1998, but progress has slowed. It is currently 8.2% (as at 30 June 2024) overall but this varies considerably between regions.

In Canterbury, men have median hourly earnings of $34.00, and women have median hourly earnings of $31.17. This means the gender pay gap within our region is 8.3% – slightly higher than the national average.

The best place for women to work is Southland, where there is no gender pay gap and men and women earn the same, on average.

The regions of New Zealand with the worst gender pay parity is Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough and the West Coast, where the gap is at 12.7%.

The gender pay gap for Māori, Pacific, ethnic, and disabled wāhine is significantly higher than the national gender pay gap. This is reflected by higher rates of unemployment, underutilisation, and underemployment, as well as persistent pay gaps when compared to men.

Equal pay act changes

A look at the recently announced changes to New Zealand’s Equal Pay Act.

The swift passage of amendments under urgency to New Zealand’s Equal Pay Act has led to widespread concern and protest across the country.
The Equal Pay Amendment Bill 2025 was passed with the support of the three coalition parties on 7 May – just one day after the bill’s introduction on 6 May. The revised legislation raises the threshold for initiating a pay equity claim, now requiring that the workforce be at least 70% female for a continuous period of 10 years. Previously, a 60% threshold sufficed.

Additionally, the law mandates that claimants demonstrate “merit” rather than merely an “arguable” case of historical undervaluation, making it more challenging for workers to seek redress. Consequently, 33 ongoing claims, including those from education, healthcare, and community sectors, have been discontinued, affecting over 150,000 workers nationwide.

Kristine Bartlett CNZM, a prominent advocate for care and support workers, says the changes are “gut-wrenching” and could lead to a loss of skilled professionals to countries with more equitable pay systems. Similarly, the YWCA Aotearoa New Zealand condemned the government’s decision, saying the changes undermine decades of progress toward gender justice and put the economic security of women and gender-diverse people at serious risk.

In response to the public outcry, the government has announced plans to review the legislation. However, the future of pay equity in Canterbury and New Zealand remains uncertain.