Black Ferns players celebrate a try by Ma'ama Mo'onia Vaipulu against Canada, in Kansas. Photo / Photosport
Alida Shanks and Louisa Wall for LockerRoom
Aotearoa New Zealand’s sport and active recreation sector has, by many visible measures, made meaningful progress in recent years.
Women are increasingly present in governance roles, Māori representation has grown, and there is now a far more explicit commitment across organisations to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
These shifts signal a sector that is, at least outwardly, responding to long-standing calls for change.
However, beneath these gains lies a more complex and less reassuring reality. The latest Sport NZ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion survey data from 2024, suggests increased representation has not yet translated into equitable outcomes.
While more diverse faces are present in leadership and decision-making spaces, structural inequities remain deeply embedded in how people are valued, supported, and rewarded.
Pay disparity, defined as the difference in average earnings between groups regardless of the underlying causes, remains one of the most persistent and measurable inequities.
Women in senior leadership positions, including chief executives and Tier 2 roles, continue to earn significantly less than their male counterparts, even when accounting for hours worked.
Across the sector, women earn approximately 14% to 15% less than men, equivalent to around $85 for every $100 earned by men. This gap is mirrored along ethnic lines, with Māori employees earning roughly 15% less than non-Māori colleagues in comparable roles.
These disparities are not incidental.
They reflect systemic issues in how leadership, experience, and contribution are assessed and compensated.
When inequities persist at the highest levels of leadership, they signal to the entire workforce that fairness is not yet embedded in the system.
Over time, this undermines both trust and retention, particularly among those groups the sector is actively trying to attract and support.
Workplace culture presents another critical challenge. While there have been slight improvements since 2020, reported experiences of discrimination, harassment, and bullying remain concerningly high.
One in 10 people report experiencing harmful behaviour within the past year, while one in five have witnessed it.
These are not isolated incidents; they point to patterns of behaviour that continue to shape everyday workplace experiences.
Importantly, these experiences are not evenly distributed.
Women, disabled people, and members of rainbow communities are disproportionately affected, highlighting the intersectional nature of inequity within the sector.
However, the report did not break down the data to identify just how much it affects these groups.
Recently released research indicates the rate is likely to be significantly higher, with nearly 40% of women who work in regional football organisations experiencing discrimination in their current organisation.
For these groups, participation in sport and recreation organisations is not just about professional opportunity.
It is also about navigating environments where safety and inclusion cannot be taken for granted.
Equally troubling is the lack of confidence in organisational responses.
While many employees believe their organisations take integrity issues seriously in principle, fewer than half express full confidence in the processes used to address them.
This gap between intent and execution is significant. It suggests that policies, while often well-designed on paper, are not consistently or effectively implemented in practice.
Without trust in reporting and response systems, harmful behaviours are less likely to be challenged, and cultures of silence can persist.
Over time, this erodes organisational credibility and reinforces the very inequities that diversity and inclusion strategies are intended to address.
Another area where progress remains uneven is the integration of te ao Māori.
While many organisations now reference Te Tiriti o Waitangi and incorporate Māori values into their strategic language, these commitments are often not meaningfully embedded in governance structures, decision-making processes, or operational practices.
Too often, te ao Māori is treated as symbolic rather than structural.
This distinction matters. Representation without influence risks reinforcing existing power dynamics rather than transforming them.
For Māori, meaningful inclusion is not simply about presence but about the ability to shape decisions, priorities, and outcomes. Without this, the sector risks perpetuating a form of inclusion that is visible but not substantive.
Taken together, these findings point to a fundamental issue: the sector has focused heavily on who is in the room, but not enough on what happens once they are there.
Representation is an important first step, but it is not the endpoint. Equity requires that individuals, once present, experience fair pay, safe environments, and genuine influence over decisions.
There are also clear gaps in implementation. Many organisations now have diversity, equity, and inclusion frameworks in place, yet awareness of these policies is inconsistent.
Staff and board members are not always clear on what exists, how it applies to them, or who is responsible for ensuring accountability.
In the absence of visibility and ownership, these frameworks risk becoming performative and symbols of intent rather than drivers of change.
If the sector is serious about moving beyond representation towards genuine equity, a more deliberate and accountable approach is required.
First, transparency must become non-negotiable. Regular, sector-wide pay audits are essential to identify and address disparities based on gender and ethnicity, particularly at senior leadership levels.
Equity cannot be assumed; it must be actively measured, reported, and corrected.
Second, workplace safety must be prioritised as a core organisational responsibility. Reporting and response systems for harassment, bullying, and discrimination need to be strengthened, with independent oversight where possible. Cultural change depends not just on policies, but on consistent and credible action when issues arise.
Third, embedding te ao Māori must move beyond statements of intent to structural integration.
This includes representation in governance with real decision-making authority, the incorporation of Māori worldviews into strategy and operations, and ongoing investment in cultural capability.
In Aotearoa, this is not an optional add-on but a foundational responsibility.
Fourth, leadership pathways must be strengthened. While diversity at entry and mid-level roles may be improving, progression into senior leadership remains uneven.
Targeted development programmes, mentorship, and sponsorship initiatives are essential to ensure that women, Māori, and other underrepresented groups are supported to advance and lead.
Finally, progress must be tracked through clear, measurable targets.
Without robust data and regular reporting, it is impossible to determine whether interventions are effective or where gaps persist.
An intersectional approach is particularly important, as it recognises that individuals experience the sector differently depending on the combination of identities they hold.
The progress made to date should not be overlooked. Increased representation matters as it challenges stereotypes, broadens perspectives, and creates pathways that did not previously exist.
But representation alone is not sufficient.
The true measure of success is whether the system delivers fair and equitable outcomes for all who participate in it. At present, the evidence suggests that it does not.
Sport in Aotearoa prides itself on values of fairness, respect, and opportunity.
These ideals are deeply embedded in how sport is played and celebrated. The challenge now is to ensure that they are equally reflected in how the sector is governed and experienced.
Achieving this will require a deliberate shift from representation to equity, from policy to practice, and from intention to accountability.
Representation matters, but it is only a starting point, not success itself.
Until that shift is realised, representation will remain an important milestone, not the destination.
Equity and genuine belonging must be the destination we commit to and deliver.
This story was originally published at Newsroom.co.nz and is republished with permission.