Introduction
The Public Service is committed to gender equity and to diversity and inclusion more broadly.
In 2018, efforts to eliminate the Public Service Gender Pay Gap (GPG) were boosted by the tri-partite Gender Pay Principles l Ngā Mātāpono Utu Ira Tangata, and the Public Service Gender Pay Gap Action Plan l Te Mahere Mahi Rerekētanga Ira Tangata – a joint initiative of Government, Chief Executives and the Public Service Association. The Principles provide an enduring framework for achieving working environments free from gender-based inequalities. The 2018-20 Action Plan contains actions and milestones to drive progress[1]:
- Equal pay
- Flexible work by default
- No bias or discrimination in remuneration systems and Human Resources practices
- Gender balanced leadership.
More broadly, in 2020 Papa Pounamu, the Chief Executive-led diversity and inclusion steering group for the Public Service, determined five priorities for Public Service agencies. In addition, the new Public Service Act described the obligation of Chief Executives to increase diversity and inclusion in their agencies.
By working to increase gender equity and close their gender pay gaps, agencies are implementing the GPG Action Plan and the Gender Pay Principles and are progressing the Papa Pounamu priorities and meeting Public Service Act obligations.
All these initiatives contribute to fairer workplaces.
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[1] A new Public Service action plan has not yet been issued. The Gender Pay Taskforce guidance for drafting agency 2021-2022 action plans has continued to focus on these milestones.
