Prime Minister John Key says New Zealand doesn't have enough money to address the poor pay rates of community-based aged care workers.
The Human Rights Commission has released a report calling on the Government to address disparities between the pay rates of aged care workers in the community and those in hospitals.
The report found a breach of the human rights of 48,000 workers, who were being paid an average of $14.50 an hour while healthcare assistants in hospitals earned up to $5 an hour more.
The report recommended phasing in pay increases over three years until community-based workers were paid the same as those paid directly by district health boards.
Mr Key told TVNZ's Breakfast programme the problem was not new and had existed under the Labour Government.
"When Labour were in Government they had a lot more cash floating around and they didn't meet the bill, so in reality it's one of those things we'd love to do if we had more cash and as the country moves back to surplus its one of the areas we will looks at.''
He said the Government would have to spend $140 million to address the difference, about 1 per cent of the $14.5 billion spent in the health sector.
"At the moment, we simply don't have that money,'' said Mr Key.
