# New Zealand gender pay gap trends

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/new-zealand-gender-pay-gap-trends
> Updated: 2026-08-26T01:02:43.000Z. Sources: 16. Developments: 2.

In New Zealand, the gender pay gap has increased to 9.6% as of the June 2026 quarter, rising from 8.7% the previous year. Data from Stats NZ indicates that the disparity is further compounded by ethnicity, with Pacific, Māori, Asian, and Pākehā women experiencing different timelines regarding when their earnings fall behind those of men.

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU) and the Pay Equity Coalition Aotearoa have criticized the government for removing pay equity tools, suggesting these decisions have worsened systemic inequality in the health, education, and community care sectors while contributing to the cost-of-living crisis.

## Claims

- Women working full-time, year-round earned 80.9 cents for every dollar paid to men in 2024. (single source)
- The 80.9 cent wage ratio for women in 2024 is the worst annual ratio in nearly a decade. (single source)
- Black women working full-time, year-round earned 64.6 cents for every dollar paid to a white man in 2024. (single source)
- Black women earn $28,340 less per year than white men when working full-time, year-round. (single source)
- Black women are overrepresented in lower-paying occupations and underrepresented in higher-paying ones. (single source)
- Black women are crowded out of 58 percent of occupations nationally compared with white men. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-26: New Zealand gender pay gap widens to 9.6%

The NZCTU reports a widening gender pay gap in New Zealand, reaching 9.6% in the June 2026 quarter, with ethnic disparities causing women to effectively start working for free as early as October.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-zealand-gender-pay-gap-widens-to-96

### 2026-08-24: Women’s Equality Day marks progress and ongoing gender disparities

Women’s Equality Day commemorates the 19th Amendment, but reports highlight persistent wage gaps, underrepresentation in tech, and ongoing struggles for professional and social equity.

13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gender-wage-gap-widens-as-black-women-face-significant-pay-disparities

---
Cite as: New Zealand gender pay gap trends. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/new-zealand-gender-pay-gap-trends