A new campaign launched today is tackling the issue of equal pay for women here in New Zealand.
Despite the Equal Pay Act being passed in the ’70s, today women are paid an average of $7 per hour less than their male counterparts. And based on statistics, this gap will take half a century to close.
Not content with this news, an online video campaign has been launched, starring 400 Kiwi women from all manner of industries.
Directed by Loren Taylor (of Eagle vs Shark fame), and shot by Ginny Loane, the cinematographer behind Mahana, the dance video features a whole host of New Zealand celebrities.
Starring comedian Alice Brine, actresses Miriama McDowell, Laura Hill, Jackie Van Beek and Luciane Buchanan, many famous faces have got behind the important campaign.
“New Zealand used to be a progressive country in this area,” says Alice Brine.
“We’re banking on that branding. But you can’t just rely on Kate Sheppard forever. You actually have to look at the data. It’s pretty shocking. We need to live up to our standard of being the ‘progressive’ country we once were.”
And Miriama McDowell, who has had roles in Mahana, Outrageous Fortune, Dark Horse, says as she acted in the vid she thought of every woman she knows who is undervalued in their work.
“My sister, my friends, my aunty, my Nana, all of the people through the generations are who we’re doing this for. We’re speaking for them and it’s a real honour.”
For more details on the campaign and how you can get involved, head to Treat Her Right.
