and to participate as active citizens in society. For many workers in Aotearoa New Zealand, the minimum wage is simply not enough to provide for these basic needs. Whereas the current minimum wage is $18.90/hour, Living Wage Movement Aotearoa New Zealand has calculated the current living wage to be $22.10/hour.88 Making the minimum wage a living wage would help people earning the least to have a decent standard of living, better support their families and to fully participate in society. Gender and Ethnic Pay Gaps In addition to the gap between Pacific wage earners and others in the labour market, there is also a significant gap between male and female workers. The gender pay gap between men and women in Aotearoa New Zealand it is at 9.4 percent and is forecast to reach a gender pay gap of zero within 40 years.89 The biggest gender and ethnic pay gap in Aotearoa New Zealand is between European men and Pacific women at 27 percent. The pay gap between Pacific men and European men is 22 percent.90 At the current rate of progress, it will take Pacific women 120 years and Pacific men 100 years to reach pay equity with European men.91 There is no data reporting the extent of disadvantage that Pacific disabled persons and Pacific SOGIESC people experience, but anecdotal evidence suggests that individual experiences of discrimination and unfair treatment because of their identity or ability are many.92 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 26 Predatory Lending As a result of low wages lack of access to mainstream lending and equity options, a market has emerged of high-cost cash loans and proprietary credit for purchasing facilities. This market has been an entrenched part of Pacific peoples’ engagement with Aotearoa New Zealand’s retail and finance economy since the 1970s. A regular feature of Pacific language newspapers between the 1980s and 2000s were the pages of names and photos of people who had either defaulted on loans or were behind in payments to Pacific cash-loan and payday lenders.93 Participants at Auckland fono held in 2019 talked about being vulnerable to third tier lenders, including “mobile truck lenders” that target suburbs where Pacific peoples live. The mobile lending industry is characterised by large trucks that drive around suburbs where lower-income and less mobile people live. The trucks main business is from sale of goods on weekly-payment credit agreements.94 Fono participants explained that the trucks sold overpriced, household basic goods, such as food and children’s clothing, with exceedingly high interest rates.95,96 The presence of highinterest credit agreements for food and children’s clothing is a stark indicator of the gap between Pacific workers’ wages and the cost of supporting extended family and kinship networks. Such agreements, including sales from truck shops, are governed by the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act. This legislation was updated in 2019 to include the following protections for consumers Living Wage Aotearoa New Zealand.Accessed at https://www.livingwage.org.nz/. Tracking Equality at Work Report, 2018. Ibid. Ibid. See more at New Zealand Human Rights Commission. 2018. Tracking Equality at Work 2018. Wellington: New Zealand Human Rights Commission. Accessed at: https://www.hrc.co.nz/files/2115/3013/8951/Tracking_Equality_Report_FINAL. pdf, p. 3. Global Peace and Justice Auckland 2004: Press Release “Urgent Action Needed on Loan Sharking” accessed at: https:// www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0412/S00206/urgent-action-needed-on-loan-sharking.htm. Feedback from Pacific People’s Human Rights fono held on Monday March 26th at Mangere Arts Centre and Tuesday March 27th 2018 at Potters Park Events Centre. Vaughn, G. “ Loan shark crackdown includes interest & fee caps, fit & proper person test and tougher penalties, Commerce & Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi says,” Interest, accessed May 9, 2019 at https://www.interest.co.nz/ personal-finance/96271/loan-shark-crackdown-includes-interest-fee-caps-fit-proper-person-test-and. Feedback from Pacific People’s Human Rights fono held on Monday March 26th at Mangere Arts Centre and Tuesday March 27th 2018 at Potters Park Events Centre. Talanoa: Human rights issues for Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand