women are on the minimum wage than men. Also, the overall gender pay gap figures in the past have disguised considerable variation by ethnicity and across the public sector. For example, analysis by the Commission in 2010 showed that 24 of 34 public service departments had a gender pay gap greater than the gap in the total labour force. Twelve departments, some with significant numbers of staff, had gender pay gaps of more than 20%.41 A number of departments reported the dollar amount of the gap. For example, a 23.2% pay gap at the Ministry of Economic Development amounted to an average dollar amount of $19,636.51 difference in annual pay.42 Pay and employment equity reviews across the public service, the public health and public education sectors, as well as two local councils and three Crown entities were carried out in 2004-2009. The reviews found gender pay gaps for all but one of the public service departments of between 3-35%. Common findings included unequal starting salaries for the same job; female dominated jobs being paid lower than male dominated jobs; gender disparities in pay progression and performance pay; women dominating the lowest paid staff and few in the best paid jobs; women having a smaller share of additional rewards and significant gender differences in participation opportunities at all levels. These reviews and response plans were driven by the work of the Pay and Employment Equity Unit within the Department of Labour which was closed in 2009 after five years and the closure was accompanied by the Government’s cancellation of two ongoing pay investigations for 24,000 school support staff and social workers. Following these cancellations, the union, the Public Service Association (PSA), complained to the Commission of sex discrimination under the Human Rights Act 1993 on behalf of social workers, a largely female workforce earning 9.5% less than their male colleagues. The complaint was against the Government and the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development as the employer. The Commission notified the parties to the complaint and under the Human Rights Act mediation through dispute resolution began. The parties have now agreed to take the matter outside the Commission, continue to talk and negotiate the issue. The following table demonstrates the difference in median hourly rates by ethnicity in 2011. Median Hourly Rates by Age and Ethnicity Ethnicity European Māori Pacific People Asian MELAA Other TOTAL Male (NZ$) 22.80 18.80 18.00 19.70 20.00 22.00 21.58 Female (NZ$) 20.00 17.33 16.30 18.00 19.18 17.34 19.50 The gender gap between the highest hourly rate (European men) and the lowest (Pacific women) is 28.5% and has widened from 2010. The Ministry of Women’s Affairs in its latest Statement of Intent has no specific indicators relating to closing the gender pay gap or implementing pay equity, a critical element in advancing gender equality. Human Rights Commission, New Zealand Census of Women’s Participation 2010, http://www.neon.org.nz/census2010/ 42 Ibid 41 Page 14 of 35