7. Question No. 7—Workplace Relations and SafetyJAN LOGIE (Green) to the Associate Minister for Workplace Relations and SafetyQuestion No. 7—Workplace Relations and Safety7. JAN LOGIE (Green) to the Associate Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: Has she seen the Human Rights Commission's Pacific Pay Gap Inquiry findings that in 2021 the pay gap for median hourly earnings of Pacific men compared to Pākehā men was 18.8 percent and for Pacific women compared to Pākehā men was 25.1 percent; if so what if anything is she doing to reduce the Pacific pay gap?Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN (Associate Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety): Fakaalofa lahi atu Mr Speaker. Yes I have seen the inquiry findings. I have also met with Saunoamaali'i Dr Karanina Sumeo the Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner about those findings. Can I also just thank the Human Rights Commission and those who were involved in the Pacific pay gap inquiry for their work. This is important work. All pay gaps are unacceptable and our Government is committed to closing our gender and ethnic pay gaps and that's why for example by the end of this year Government agencies will public gender and ethnic pay gaps for the first time ever. This week also we are progressing legislation to establish fair pay agreements that are set to improve wages and conditions in sectors where Pacific people are overrepresented. We remain committed to using a range of tools to address gender and ethnic pay gaps because we know that there is no silver bullet.Jan Logie: Does the Minister acknowledge that when the underpayment is so egregious and the majority of it can only be explained by discrimination and unconscious bias there needs to be further urgent Government intervention?Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: Actually the report and the findings of the inquiry shows that there are a range of issues that feed into gender and ethnic pay gaps. Occupational segregation is one of them; discrimination and the likes of the various issues that the member has raised are also part of them. As I've mentioned there is work under way by the Government to address these pay gaps. I will also include that various employment action plans deal with issues around diversity inclusion and discrimination as well with the view to end those pay gaps.Jan Logie: Is she aware that pay transparency legislation is the first recommendation of the report and that a petition with over 8500 signatures was received calling for pay transparency last week and if so why has the Government not yet delivered on the commitment from last term to introduce pay transparency legislation?Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: I am aware of those and we have begun work to investigate whether a full pay transparency regime in New Zealand would be beneficial and if so what that would look like so as to be effective in Aotearoa New Zealand. That is part of a range of other initiatives as I've mentioned that we are undertaking to reduce the pay gaps.Teanau Tuiono: When will the 50-year-old Equal Pay Act be updated to include racial inequities considering that the Polynesian Panthers have been advocating for equal pay for Pacific workers since the 1970s?Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: What I will say is that we have acknowledged the need for intersectionality in this piece of work we have acknowledged that in our response to the select committee recommendations as well and as I mentioned there are a range of pieces of work under way to that end.Teanau Tuiono: What does she say to businesswoman Lisa Tai who has been on the Pacific Pay Gap Inquiry advisory board because she wants better for Pacific people than her intelligent hard-working reliable mother got working 20 years on a minimum wage suffering enduring physical injuries as a result of the work?Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: Firstly as I mentioned I thank everyone who was part of that inquiry for their work. I will also say that the aspirations of this Government in terms of ensuring that Pacific people have better working conditions and better pay is absolutely one that we share with the person that he mentioned and that's why we are undertaking a range of work on this side of the House including raising the minimum wage to ensure that we meet those aspirations.Jan Logie: Will the Minister then commit to implementing the six recommendations for Government in the gender pay gap inquiry to ensure Pacific people are paid fairly for their work and are safe and respected in the workplace?Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: As I said the Government is committed to closing the gender and ethnic pay gaps and we will investigate what the best way to do that is.