22 H U M A N R I G H T S COMMISSION | A FAIR GO FOR ALL? It is important to note that increasing numbers of both in the petition and report publicly on its findings Pacific and Mäori healthcare providers alone will not within six months. In addition, we recommend that the necessarily shift structurally discriminatory practices. Government instruct the working group to provide us As one interviewee said, “adding more brown faces in with a report on its progress within three months of its an organisation doesn’t necessarily change policies or implementation.109 structures.” However, this striking under-representation reflects one of many institutional barriers facing Pacific and Mäori communities within the health system and is a policy area in which to focus further attention. pay disparity is another manifestation of structural discrimination and a barrier to health equality. Of particular note is the issue of pay disparity between Mäori and iwi health workers in primary health care services and health care workers in DHBs. According to evidence provided by the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO), Mäori and iwi health workers earn up to 25 per cent less than their colleagues in hospital settings. This “Government Response to The Report of the Health Committee on Petition 2005/177 Ngaitia Nagel and 11,370 others” that it did not support the Health Committee’s Pay equity In addition to lack of workforce diversity, In August 2009, the Government indicated in the unanimous recommendation to establish a working group. No further progress on this issue was Mäori health professionals are the key to success. Unless we achieve pay equity, our highly prized and overworked “Mäori for Mäori” workforce will continue to be a limited resource, and any new initiatives will continue to struggle and fail. We urge you to look beyond the symptoms of ill health in our communities to the cause. funding inequity stands as an additional therefore made, although the need to address pay inequity remains. Additional government funding is needed to recruit and retain a skilled and culturally competent workforce. Mäori nurses and primary health workers play a vital role in the Mäori community health sector and in improving health outcomes for Mäori. They have the essential skills, qualifications and experience but are being paid significantly less than their barrier to recruitment and retention of Mäori health colleagues in other sectors. This is an issue of equity and workers at the community level. Anecdotal evidence from needs to be addressed. Mäori and Iwi employers highlights these barriers: “It is difficult to recruit and retain staff due to limitations of contract prices.” “As a Mäori provider, we have had great difficulty in Kerri Nuku, Kaiwhakahaere of Te Rünanga o Aotearoa NZNO further described the importance of addressing this inequity in a 2010 presentation to the Mäori Affairs Select Committee: attracting nurses as we have not been able to match Mäori health improvements require Mäori health mainstream rates.”108 workers, so whether talking about smoking cessation NZNO and representatives of the Mäori and iwi employers jointly presented to the Health Select Committee on 29 April 2009. The uniqueness of the joint presentation was commented on by members of the Committee. On 23 July 2009 the Health Select Committee issued its report and unanimously made the following recommendations to the Government: We agree with the petitioners that there is an equity issue regarding pay rates for Mäori and iwi health service workers. We recommend that the Government establish a working group to address the issues raised programmes or a whänau-based approach to Mäori wellbeing, Mäori health professionals are the key to success. Unless we achieve pay equity, our highly prized and overworked “Mäori for Mäori” workforce will continue to be a limited resource, and any new initiatives will continue to struggle and fail. We urge you to look beyond the symptoms of ill health in our communities to the cause. Inequalities in the health sector are a barrier to reducing inequalities in our people.