Kristine Bartlett, of Lower Hutt, CNZM, for services to equal pay advocacy
In 2012, Kristine Bartlett, together with the Service and Food Workers Union (now E Tū), lodged a claim alleging that her employer, TerraNova Homes and Care Ltd, was in breach of the Equal Pay Act 1972. This was based on the argument that Ms Bartlett’s hourly wage, as an aged-care worker, was less than would be paid to men with the same or similar skills. The case moved through the Employment Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, and, as a direct outcome, the Government established the Joint Working Group on Pay Equity Principles. After a five-year process, the Government announced a landmark settlement in the Equal Pay Case. Ms Bartlett has paved the way for women in many industries to query wage rates to ensure equity.