pay equity – Page 2 – Kaitiaki Nursing New Zealand

August 2025

‘We won’t back down’ — NZNO pushing ahead with 12 pay equity claims

By Glenda Alexander

July 22, 2025

Despite warnings the new thresholds for pay equity claims are impassable, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa – NZNO won’t be deterred, says long-time nursing pay equity advocate, Glenda Alexander.

July 2025

Care worker: ‘They stole my dream to build on my whenua’

By Renee Kiriona

July 3, 2025

Tiaho Whakamarurangi had dreams of returning to her ancestral Māori land on the banks of the Waikato River.

July 2025

People’s select committee on pay equity encourages submissions

By Marilyn Waring

July 1, 2025

The people’s select committee on pay equity, formed by 10 women who are former MPs, has held its first meeting and released its terms of reference.

June 2025

Pay equity changes may discourage students from studying nursing, says Massey lecturer

By Jessie Davidson

June 12, 2025

Massey nursing students say they feel discouraged about entering Aotearoa’s health workforce following government changes to pay equity laws that have wiped out a claim for thousands of nurses.

June 2025

The main character in pay equity

By Nadia Abu-Shanab

June 4, 2025

Working people are a main character in politics. Not just a group that stuff happens to, but people capable of making things happen.

June 2025

‘It’s about respect’: Nurses protest at Parliament over pay equity claims

By Mary Longmore

May 15, 2025

Nurses were among many angry women workers who brought their mothers, children and wider whānau to Parliament today to protest the Government’s mass dumping of pay equity claims.

May 2025

‘Show some respect to nurses’ — Steve Chadwick on halting of pay equity claims

By Steve Chadwick

May 13, 2025

Primary and Community Health Association (PCHA) chair Steve Chadwick says New Zealand’s struggling health system and nursing workforce have been dealt another significant blow by the mass dumping of 33 pay equity claims this month.

May 2025

Outrage, shock and fury as Government halts pay equity claims

By Mary Longmore

May 8, 2025

Low-paid women across health-care, education and many other sectors were devastated today, after Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke Van Velden announced the Government was halting all current pay equity claims — and making it harder to lodge new ones.

February 2025

‘Pay parity or pay equity or equal pay. I am confused! ‘

By Jean Classey

January 27, 2025

What’s the difference between these three pay processes? An experienced NZNO delegate explains.

July 2024

Time to ‘get serious’ as pay equity claim for health’s lowest paid women workers lodged with ERA

By Mary Longmore

June 14, 2024

After two years of limbo, thousands of care and support workers this week lodged a claim for equal pay with the Employment Relations Authority (ERA).

January 2024

‘We hung in there’ — southern Te Whatu Ora members celebrate 2023 pay equity achievement

By Mary Longmore

December 21, 2023

Ashburton Te Whatu Ora members took a moment this month to celebrate 2023 as the year they won a “significant” pay equity settlement after a seven-year uphill battle — a win they hope paves the way for other nurses and health workers.

September 2023

Nurses vote ‘overwhelmingly’ to accept pay equity offer

By Mary Longmore

July 31, 2023

After more than a year of litigation, more than 30,000 nurses, health-care assistants (HCAs) and other kaimahi hauora have voted “overwhelmingly” to accept Te Whatu Ora’s pay equity offer.

May 2023

‘Disingenuous’ – Kiwi nurses challenge claim pay rates now on par with Australia

By Cate Macintosh

April 3, 2023

The Government says a recent pay increase for Te Whatu Ora nurses puts their base rates ‘on par’ with Australian colleagues. But Kiwi nurses in Australia and a leading economist disagree, saying the claim doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.

April 2023

Thanks, but where’s the rest? Nurses challenge Minister of Health on back pay

By Mary Longmore

March 8, 2023

Pay equity salary increases of up to $12,000 per annum are “appreciated”, but Wellington nurses today told Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall they want to be back-paid to 2019 “like we were promised”.

February 2023

Black Ferns take time out from celebrations to tautoko nurses

By Mary Longmore

December 23, 2022

World Cup Rugby winners, the Black Ferns, took time out from their public celebrations to champion the cause of nurses in Wellington this month.

January 2023

Interim pay equity lift brings celebration, relief and disbelief

By Cate Macintosh

December 16, 2022

Nurses employed by Te Whatu Ora are welcoming a lift to their pay rates as an interim measure to recognise gender-pay discrimination — but many remain sceptical.

December 2022

Pay equity battle: ‘There are people in need at the end of this process’

By Cate Macintosh

December 8, 2022

Australian union lawyer and researcher Lisa Heap is lending her experience in the battle for pay equity, alongside employment lawyer Peter Cranney. Heap spoke to Kaitiaki about her trans-Tasman work to achieve pay justice for caring professions.

September 2022

Nurses look like ‘fools’

By Janeen Gillespie

August 31, 2022

Regarding the letter written by Sam Mojel (May 11, 2022), it was EXACTLY what I was thinking and questioning.

Read more... Nurses look like ‘fools’

Daily doses – uncut news

30 Apr	BroPilot grounding digital tools in whānau, culture, and care A passion for his Māori culture and a desire to make AI accessible to everyone inspired Troy Baker, Senior ICT Specialist, Health New Zealand to develop BroPilot – a culturally grounded way of working with Microsoft Copilot that reflects Māori values, whakaaro, and real lived experience.
29 Apr	Heartbreaking tragedies were avoidable - NZNO Analysis by a media outlet, published today, finding health care staff shortages were contributing factors in the deaths of 11 babies is a national and avoidable tragedy, NZNO says.
28 Apr	CTU launches Roving Health and Safety Representatives policy on Workers’ Memorial Day The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi has today launched our Roving Health and Safety Representatives policy at the Workers’ Memorial Day commemoration in Wellington, with further events held across the motu in Manawatū, Christchurch, and Otago.
24 Apr	“The 80s Calling”: New national campaign challenges outdated HIV stigma Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey today launched Health New Zealand’s “The 80s Calling”; a provocative new campaign designed to reduce stigma, normalise conversations about HIV, and support people living with HIV.
23 Apr	Government’s attack on Māori health raised at the UN Concerns over the Coalition Government’s active reversal of policies designed to improve Māori health outcomes were raised at the United Nations in New York this morning.
16 Apr	Tribute to Professor Lester Levy’s service to healthcare Health New Zealand Chief Executive Dr Dale Bramley is paying tribute to Health NZ Board Chair Professor Lester Levy, who finishes in the role at the end of the month.
10 Apr	Chronic health care assistant short staffing harming vulnerable patients Te Whatu Ora’s attempt to cut costs by requiring health care assistants to carry out cohort patient watches is harming vulnerable patients and staff, NZNO says.
9 Apr	New group education clinics speeding up knee and hip surgery care Health New Zealand is rolling out a new group education approach for people waiting for hip and knee surgery in north and west Auckland, resulting in more patients being seen sooner.
25 Mar	National Diabetes Roadmap launched to improve care, prevention, and quality of life Health New Zealand has launched a new National Diabetes Roadmap (‘the Roadmap’) to improve care, strengthen prevention, and support better health outcomes and quality of life for people living with diabetes.
24 Mar	ACT should leave nursing to professionals and medical evidence Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says ACT MP Todd Stephenson has dismissed the Nursing Council’s draft code of conduct - which proposes strengthening cultural safety, whānau-centred care and te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations - as political ideology.
23 Mar	UK report reflects ICN warnings on international recruitment ripoff — now countries must act together The International Council of Nurses (ICN) warmly welcomes a new report from the UK All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Global Health and Security that recognizes the huge sums saved by high-income countries who recruit abroad and acknowledges the severe harms caused by unethical recruitment from fragile source countries left without nurses.
20 Mar	HPV self-test boosts cervical cancer screening ‘across the board’, new study confirms Making human papillomavirus (HPV) self-testing available to all women increases the number of people screened for cervical cancer, a new study led by researchers from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington has confirmed.
19 Mar	ICN at CSW70: Violence against nurses is a gendered crisis threatening global health The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has warned that violence against nurses is a global gendered crisis that threatens health systems, patient safety and workforce sustainability
17 Mar	Additional winter health care workers a drop in the ocean of need The Government’s announcement today of 378 extra staff to help hospitals cope with winter demand is a drop in the ocean of what patients need, NZNO says.
12 Mar	Funding change will ensure more consistent emergency care for New Zealanders A simple change in how ambulance medicines are funded is set to create more consistent emergency care.
9 Mar	Questions over dilapidated and cramped renal unit forced to ration dialysis The Health Minister must explain why after years of concerns from nurses about Christchurch Hospital’s barely functioning dialysis unit, he only stepped in late yesterday when life-saving treatment had to be rationed, NZNO says.
3 Mar	Hospitals and health workers should never be targets The right of health care workers to provide care during international conflicts must be protected, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO says.
2 Mar	Public and Mental Health Nurses settle collective agreement Health New Zealand welcomes the ratification of the two Public Service Association (PSA) Public and Mental Health Nurses collective employment agreements for Auckland and the Rest of New Zealand.
27 Feb	Whakatāne Hospital to resume secondary obstetrics and gynaecology services Whakatāne Hospital will resume secondary obstetrics and gynaecology services from 8am on 13 April 2026.
26 Feb	Counsellors warn NZ is normalising crisis levels of youth distress Youth mental distress has become entrenched, suicide remains a national tragedy, and our systems are failing to intervene early enough, says the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC).
26 Feb	Record uptake nearly doubles advanced nurse education scholarships A record 235 primary care registered nurses will begin advanced education this year – nearly doubling the number originally planned – following strong demand for the Government’s new Registered Nurse Primary Care Scholarships, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
19 Feb	‘Top Up’ to deliver faster access to support Seven grassroots mental health initiatives supporting small and hard-to-reach communities have received funding to deliver faster access to support, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announced today.
18 Feb	Pharmac proposes funding new treatments that could transform early care for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, a type of blood cancer People in New Zealand living with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) could soon benefit from funded access to targeted treatments under a new proposal from Pharmac.
13 Feb	Te Whatu Ora’s embarrassing U-turn over proposed car park plan Te Whatu Ora needs to go back to the drawing board and prioritise worker safety after reversing plans to charge hospital workers market rates for car parks, NZNO says.
11 Feb	Stark differences in COVID-19 vaccination rates between Māori and non-Māori, research finds A new study analysing COVID-19 vaccine uptake has found markedly lower vaccination rates among Māori, which researchers link to existing inequities in healthcare access.
9 Feb	ICN’s call for International Nurses Day 2026: empower nurses to save lives ICN has announced the theme for International Nurses Day (IND) 2026: Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives. This focus sends a clear message that to maximize the full life-saving impact of the nursing workforce, we must empower nurses with safe, fair work environments and full nursing practice, influence, and leadership.
5 Feb	Global nurse leaders gather in Japan to address urgent workforce crisis Nursing leaders from Japan and around the world are gathering in Yokohama this week for two major nursing events that are advancing the global conversation on how countries can protect, retain and invest in their nursing workforce as pressures mount across health systems worldwide.
4 Feb	Midwives to deliver more vaccinations to help protect families Midwives are now able to offer a wider range of funded immunisations, supporting families from pregnancy through the early months of a child’s life, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
30 Jan	Opening of E Tū Wairua Hinengaro – Mason Clinic Health New Zealand has marked the opening of E Tū Wairua Hinengaro, a new purpose-built facility at Auckland’s Mason Clinic designed to strengthen and modernise forensic mental healthcare in Aotearoa.
29 Jan	NZNO disgusted by nurse’s killing in the US Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO has expressed disgust at the shooting and killing of nurse Alex Pretti on a Minneapolis, US street on Saturday morning by federal officers.
27 Jan	New national group forms to support public healthcare in Aotearoa Kaitiaki Hauora - Together for Public Health has been formed as a national group bringing together patients, health workers, iwi and Māori health representatives, unions, advocacy organisations, and community groups, with backing from a growing number of organisations across the health sector.
22 Jan	Pharmac proposes to fund life changing treatments for people with cystic fibrosis Pharmac is proposing to fund new treatment options for people living with cystic fibrosis with eligible mutations, including young children, from 1 April 2026.
05 Jan	Nurses pay tribute to Dame Poutasi The passing of Dame Karen Poutasi has seen Aotearoa lose one of its foremost health leaders and a woman of high integrity, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says.