The Country 09/05/25: Jason Walls talks to Jamie Mackay

We ask Newstalk ZB's political editor, what's the difference between pay equity and equal pay?

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's wrap it with Jason Walls a political edit. Jason,
we've got a text one and you're a much brighter
man than me and your fingers on the pulse. And
the question was, what's the difference between pay equity and
equal pay? Do you know the answer to that one?

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Oh, listen, May, I was hoping you were going to
put me on this as well with something like that.
To be honest, no, I don't. And I think a
lot of that comes down to the fact that this
is actually quite complex, this whole situation, and there is
some legal definitions behind that question as well, So I
wouldn't want to lead anybody in all.

Speaker 1 (00:31):
Right, Okay, we'll try and figure that one out by
this time next week. Audrey Young and the Herald said
the pay equity ambush is the word she used, will
come back to bite the nets. Do you think it will? Oh?

Speaker 2 (00:42):
I absolutely. I mean all you have to do is
look around the country today and see there's people protesting
outside various minister and MP's places across New Zealand. I
think that the opposition and the unions have done a
really good job in stirring up sort of their supporters
to rally against this led and expect it to be
drawn upon as we go into the budget as well,

(01:04):
with the main it being one of the main, if
not the main attack line from the opposition.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
Yeah, maybe not that popular. The social media proposal, it's
quite popular, especially with parents. I've got like thirty seconds.

Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, well, I mean the problem with this one is
that it's actually not going to come into a force
in force because it's a government member's bill. If they
really wanted to get it across the line, they should
have done it as a government bill, which means that
they could just do it in the House. This way,
they have to wait for it to be pulled from
the biscuit in So, if you want to see this
one coming, don't hold your breath because it's a slim
slim chance of it happening anytime soon.

Speaker 1 (01:37):
Hi, Jason Wills, thank you very much for your time.