Health Minister Tony Ryall declined to comment on a landmark gender pay decision when he visited Dunedin yesterday.
Carer Kristine Bartlett is paid $14.32 after 20 years in the industry, and the Service and Food Workers Union successfully argued on her behalf that her low pay was a form of gender discrimination.
Mr Ryall said he had not studied the details of the Employment Court decision, which was released on Thursday.
''I haven't been briefed on the details of the case. I would have to see what the decision was before commenting further.''
Asked whether carers had a moral case for more pay, he said New Zealand was in a ''tight financial environment, and those are the salaries and payments that the providers pay their staff''.
The decision of the court sitting in Auckland has been hailed as the greatest advance for the rights of working women since the passing of the Equal Pay Act in 1972.
Workers union national secretary John Ryall said Ms Bartlett's case showed her pay rate to care for the elderly was based on her gender, rather than her skills, effort and responsibility.
Her case was taken to the court by the union against her employer Terranova Homes and Care Ltd.
The court found Terranova Homes' 106 female and four male caregivers were all paid between $13.75 and $15 an hour.
The court also found the defendant could not prove it paid its four male caregiver employees the same as its 106 female caregivers, or that it would pay replacement males the same rates.
Mr Ryall said the next stage in the case was for the court to get evidence about what the comparative pay rates would be if the industry was male-dominated.
The Public Service Association says the decision has far-reaching implications for thousands of women who work in low-paid occupational groups.
PSA national secretary Brenda Pilott said it was a big step in terms of getting rid of the notion of ''women's work'' and reinforced that equal pay was a basic human right.
New Zealand Nurses Organisation industrial adviser David Wait said the decision was important for the organisation, which had a 93% female membership.
''Today is a great day for each and every one of them. Equality is now one step closer.''
- Additional reporting APNZ
