The Ministry of Defence has the largest government pay gap between men and women at 37 percent, but it says it is committed to reducing that figure.
Two NH90 helicopters of the Royal New Zealand Air Force touch down and release New Zealand Army soldiers to secure an area in the town of Ward, as part of exercise Southern Katipo. Photo: New Zealand Defence Force
This week the government announced that the public service has two-and-a-half years to end pay discrimination against women, and to make flexi working hours the norm.
The Ministry of Defence said women and men were paid equally for the same role but there was a lack of women in higher-paying management roles.
Five years ago only 34 percent of staff were women and efforts to remedy this boosted numbers to 54 percent, it said.
Meanwhile, women in management roles had increased from 11 to 34 percent and the gender pay gap dropped nine percent since June 2016, it said.
Photo: Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence
Official data shows on average women earn between nine and 16 percent less than men in this country, and the gap is even wider for women with children.
The average pay gap across the public service is about 12.5 percent.
Large-scale projects to acquire military equipment often included almost no roles filled by women, it said.
Some women had taken on those roles but it was still male dominated.
The ministry has around 130 staff members, meaning just one or two staff movements could affect the gender pay gap.
