Women from all walks of life arrived en masse at the electoral office of Finance Minister Nicola Willis to protest changes to pay equity legislation.

Protest leaders say the Pay Equity Amendment Act 2025 will increase barriers to pay equity claims, resulting in the cancellation of 33 claims affecting approximately 180,000 female employees.

Jo-Cahnelle Pouwhare, representing workers’ union E Tū, says the legislation, which passed under urgency this week, is gutting.

“This Government needs to get, first and foremost, trust and belief, and they need to have a rationale, and a better excuse for why they’ve rushed it.”

A key aspect of the protest was how the legislation removed the right for women workers to seek fair pay equity. The cancellation of current claims would affect every sector of society, like health, and would disproportionately affect Māori, Pacific, migrant, and young women.

Green Party MP Tamatha Paul was a part of the crowd outside the minister’s office.

“So we are here in Te Whanganui a-Tara in Johnsonville, protesting outside of Nicola Willis’ office, because her, and her government, have decided to completely demolish 33 pay equity claims representing about 180,000 working women, and totally stomped on that, and told women that their pay, and fair pay to their male counterparts doesn’t matter,” says Paul.

Not all protesters are women

Aside from the large presence of women in the crowd, a sizeable group of men was on hand to support the fight for pay equity for women.

According to Matthew Reweti, pay equity is a major issue.

“Definitely here to support the movement. My mother is a librarian, and the pay equity gap really is real. To see my mother doing such an awesome mahi and, you know, not getting recognised in the pay packet. It took her a long time to get to a decent pay wage.”

Pouwhare, who has gained a following online after her interview with 1News political reporter Maiki Sherman, says the change in legislation is a hard pill to swallow, but the fight will continue.

“Their mauri is deflated. Because they’ve been sitting there with hope, but now it’s just been washed away. They have no more hope. Now what’s left to do is, we have got to fight.”

“So they can still kiss my big fat arse.”