The Employment (Pay Equity and Equal Pay) Bill is among four bills that have been ditched by the new Government.

The Minister for Women, Julie Anne Genter, says the legislation was deliberately designed to put barriers in the way of women who wish to make a pay equity claim.

“Women in New Zealand should know this Government is committed to women getting a better deal, that’s why we are halting the National Government’s legislation,” says Ms Genter.

“The existing bill aimed to apply retrospectively, which would have been unfair to the up to eight groups of women currently making pay equity claims. We will do better by all women,” she says.

The Natural Health and Supplementary Products Bill has also been withdrawn.

The bill was first introduced in 2011 by the then Health Minister, Jonathan Coleman.

The bill would have established a new regulatory regime, separate from those in place for food and medicines. The intention was to control low-risk natural health products such as garlic capsules and Echinacea, and supplementary products such as vitamin tablets.

It failed to become law and an amended bill was introduced to Parliament in 2016.

The two other bills that have been scrapped are the Regulatory Standards Bill and the Taxation (Income-Sharing Tax Credit) Bill.