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February 26, 2026
#equity: Mahuta Highlights Māori Impact in People’s Select Committee Pay Equity Findings
Dale Husband
Posted On February 26, 2026
Download AudiodaleFormer Labour MP Nanaia Mahuta says the findings of the unofficial People’s Select Committee reinforce long-standing concerns that pay inequity continues to fall hardest on Māori women and Māori-dominated workforces.
Mahuta was a key member of the independent committee formed after changes to pay equity legislation bypassed the standard parliamentary select committee process. The group gathered submissions from workers, unions, legal experts and community advocates to assess the real-world impact of recent reforms.
Evidence reviewed by the committee showed that sectors with high proportions of Māori women, including care work, social services and community-based roles, remain undervalued. Mahuta says the testimony highlighted how structural inequities in pay are not abstract policy debates but everyday realities affecting household income, housing security and intergenerational wellbeing.
Submitters pointed to systemic undervaluation of roles traditionally performed by women and by Māori, arguing that pay equity delays or barriers compound existing inequities in health, education and economic participation.
The findings also underscored how pay inequity intersects with race and gender, amplifying disadvantage for Māori wāhine who already experience lower average incomes and higher living cost pressures.
Māori unions and community advocates have called for stronger legislative protections, including repealing the Equal Pay Amendment Act 2025 and establishing an independent pay-equity unit to oversee claims and ensure consistent standards.
Mahuta says these recommendations reflect concerns expressed by Māori workers during the committee’s hearings. Many submitters described frustration at stalled claims and shifting thresholds that they believe have made it harder to pursue equitable outcomes.
Advocates argue that an independent oversight body could provide clarity, accountability and transparency, particularly for sectors where workers lack the resources to navigate complex legal processes.
The committee heard from Māori essential workers who described the tangible consequences of delayed or denied pay equity claims. Mahuta says testimonies revealed financial stress, increased reliance on multiple jobs and ongoing strain on whānau wellbeing.
For many, the issue was not solely about wages but about recognition and dignity. Submitters framed pay equity as a matter of honouring contribution and addressing systemic undervaluation embedded in historic employment practices.
Mahuta believes government agencies must respond in a way that reflects Te Tiriti o Waitangi commitments, ensuring partnership and active protection principles are upheld in employment policy settings.
As debate continues, Mahuta says restoring trust in the pay equity framework will require clear legislative intent, robust oversight and genuine engagement with Māori workers and unions.
She argues that pay equity reform must move beyond procedural adjustments and address deeper structural inequities affecting Māori communities. Strengthening mana motuhake in the workplace, she says, involves ensuring Māori workers are not only heard but meaningfully included in shaping policy solutions.
The People’s Select Committee findings add to the ongoing national conversation about fairness, equity and economic justice, placing Māori voices at the centre of calls for reform.
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