Today is equal pay day, the day on which we draw attention to pay inequity and the gender pay gap. Currently, New Zealand women are paid around 12% less than men (their median wage is $17.50 / hour vs $20.00 for men) - an absolute disgrace in a modern democracy. And the government's response to this has been to disestablish its pay equity unit - akin to sticking its fingers in its ears and going "la la la I am not interested in gender discrimination".
This is not good enough. A government which actively ignores pervasive discrimination can only be regarded as complicit in it, in violation of both its international obligations and basic human decency. We expect much, much better from our government.
