The changes essentially cancel 33 active pay equity claims while raising the threshold to make a claim and change the way claims are assessed. Minister Brooke van Velden, who spearheaded the changes, said the former MPs were “free to hold their own opinions and publish their own material” and insisted “equal pay is here to stay, and a pay equity system remains. “The new law is already being used to process claims. Photo / Mark MitchellThe committee said it was told by submitters “there was no evidence” the changes would lead to a more rigorous process which saved money and time or that these changes would make the pay equity process more workable and sustainable. “Pay inequity disproportionately impacts Māori, Pacific and disabled women – the very communities already facing the greatest barriers to fair pay.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 24, 2026 02:40 UTC