Executive summary Pacific peoples have contributed to growing wealth in Aotearoa New Zealand but have yet to benefit equally from their contribution. In light of the Human Rights Commission’s Inquiry into the Pacific Pay Gap, this literature review examines the literature relevant to the Pacific Pay Gap and Pacific peoples’ experiences in the workplace and possible mechanisms for change. Importantly, this literature review notes that, for many Pacific peoples, the pay gap contributes to anxieties about being able to contribute to their family and community wellbeing. It should first be noted that, to date, a limited amount of research has been done on this topic. This in itself is indicative of the voices and stories of Pacific peoples not being heard as much as they should in Aotearoa New Zealand. Nonetheless, there is sufficient research for which this literature review shows that, despite Pacific peoples’ significant historical and ongoing contribution to the New Zealand economy, they continue to be disadvantaged through wider structural and institutional forces such as colonisation, neoliberalism, and racism. The intersectional nature of these forces means that Pacific women, peoples with disabilities, migrants and māhū, vakasalewa, palopa, fa’afafine, akava’ine, fakaleiti (leiti), fakafifine (MVPFFF+) or Pacific rainbow communities experience these forces differently. In 2021, the gap between the median hourly earnings of Pacific men and Pākehā men was 18.8 percent. The gap was even larger for Pacific women compared with Pākehā men at 25.1 percent. Alongside Māori women, Pacific men and women experience the largest pay gaps compared to other ethnic groups. The literature suggests that the Pacific Pay Gap can be addressed in part through closing the educational attainment gap. However, further structural and societal change, including addressing discriminatory workplace practices, to fully address the Pacific Pay Gap. Pay gaps and unfavourable working conditions exist in the three industries in focus for the Pacific Pay Gap Inquiry: construction, manufacturing, and healthcare. However, the literature indicates that there are important differences across these three industries. 2 The construction industry has a lower-than-average Pacific Pay Gap, but the gap is increasing over time. Pacific peoples in construction also have the highest in-work poverty rate in the industry compared to other ethnic groups. Another issue for Pacific peoples in the construction industry is precarious employment, which has resulted in Pacific peoples engaging in temporary, casual, fixed-term or zerohour contracts characterised by irregular working hours and little opportunity for upskilling or career progression. This precarity has been identified as a contributing factor to poor health and safety practices and outcomes. Pacific construction workers have articulated how neoliberalism and racism contribute to their precarious employment. The manufacturing industry experiences a higherthan-average Pacific Pay Gap. Pacific peoples have the highest in-work poverty rate within the manufacturing industry compared to other ethnic groups. The manufacturing industry dominates Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) claims. Pacific and Māori peoples have the highest incident reporting but lowest acceptance rate for ACC claims. Pacific peoples experience racism in the manufacturing industry, with much of it tied to communication. Pacific peoples in the healthcare industry experience the same pay gap as the national average. Pacific peoples are overrepresented amongst low-skilled and low-paying occupations within the sector, primarily occupying low-level administrative roles. Pacific workers in the healthcare industry have an in-work poverty rate of 8.6 percent, significantly higher than all other ethnic groups. Pacific peoples in healthcare have also reported experiencing racism through recruitment practices that create hostile workplaces and lower pay equity, reducing retention and progression rates for Pacific workers. Furthermore, Pacific migrant workers within healthcare have reported having to accept lower-skilled and therefore lower-paid work as their Pacific region qualifications and work experience are not accepted. There is a significant gap in legislation internationally for addressing ethnic pay gaps. However, there are two main mechanisms for addressing the gender pay gaps that can be applied to the ethnic pay gap: comprehensive pay transparency and mandatory