women can save for their retirement and it is forecast that on average they will retire with $600,000 less than men. The gender pay gap is further exacerbated when ethnicity is also taken into account. Median earnings of Māori and Pasifika women are substantially less than those of New Zealand European men and women.75 65. In 2017 Statistics New Zealand released a report summarising its investigation into the effect of motherhood on women’s pay in New Zealand.76 It found that the gender pay gap between female parents (17%) was significantly larger than for non-parents (5%) - a “motherhood penalty” of around 12 %. The penalty was greater for mothers working part time than for those working full time. 66. On 18 April 2017, the Government announced a $2 billion pay equity settlement for 55,000 care and support workers in New Zealand’s aged and disability residential care, and home and community support services around the country. The settlement follows a successful legal claim brought by a union where it was argued that the pay that caregivers (who are predominantly female) received was less than what would have been paid to a male with the same skill set in a different occupation. 77 67. The settlement is an historic achievement and an important step forward in the journey towards pay equity. However, more work needs to be done to ensure pay equity in other sectors, such as education, where female workers continue to be underpaid. Women in Leadership 68. Overall, the representation of women in leadership roles in New Zealand is mixed. Three of New Zealand’s most senior constitutional roles – the Prime Minister, the Governor-General and the Chief Justice – are held by women. Furthermore, following the 2017 general election, women comprise 46 of the 120 MPs that constitute the New Zealand Parliament, the highest number and proportion (38.4%) that it has ever been. 69. However, while women comprise 60.7% of all public servants, only 24.1% are chief executives of public service departments and only 45.2% of senior management are female.78 If current trends continue, the Public Service will reach 50% female representation in senior leadership by around 2021. There has also been a sharp decline in women in senior management roles in the private sector. Only 19% of businesses in New Zealand have women in senior management roles. New Zealand ranks low in this area when compared to other countries.79 22