New Zealand Government's 'Project Ten': How Fair Pay Reforms Avoided Public Scrutiny

In a startling revelation, internal documents obtained by RNZ reveal that New Zealand's government made a concerted effort to keep a sweeping fair pay reform under wraps until the last possible moment. The goal was to prevent a surge in claims and protect the government's finances. Ministers and staff openly admitted in emails and briefings that they had plans to bypass public oversight, terminate existing claims, and potentially infringe on public rights.

Despite these concerns, the government proceeded with the reform, strictly controlling information disclosure to prevent leaks before the bill was submitted to Parliament in May. The announcement of the bill was sudden, and the legislation was passed through an expedited process with no opportunity for public consultation.

The reform, which has sparked nationwide protests, ends existing claims and raises the bar for future claims by requiring proof that a job was historically undervalued. Ongoing claims must be reinitiated under the new criteria. The government had previously estimated that tightening these standards would save NZ$12.8 billion over the next four years.

The internal documents, released under the Official Information Act, show that high-level ministerial meetings—some attended by the Prime Minister—were carefully arranged, with instructions given to avoid disclosing meeting schedules. One email from the office of Brooke van Velden, the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, instructed staff to manually remove digital access to cabinet documents, warning that if left as default, certain officials would gain access.

Another memo revealed that some officials opted to distribute physical copies to avoid electronic records. A message from van Velden’s office to another government official stated: “If you really need an electronic version, I can email it to you. (I’m not being difficult—I’m following the recommended distribution method.)”

Known internally as “Project Ten,” this was a comprehensive communications package prepared in advance and only released after the bill was submitted and passed. A document stated: “We recommend that any announcement or statement regarding the proposed amendment should be made only after the bill is submitted to Parliament.”

The government followed this advice. On May 6, 2025, the government suddenly released the Equal Pay Amendment Act 2025, submitting it through an emergency process and passing it in a single day without any opportunity for public consultation. The legislation immediately halted 33 ongoing claims, some of which had been ongoing for years, and imposed stricter legal standards for future claims.

The documents clearly state that financial considerations were a core driver of this move, with the primary goal being a significant reduction in government spending. Officials emphasized that the bill had to be passed before the 2025 budget was announced, further underscoring the cost-cutting motive.

However, they also admitted that the compressed timeline left little room for policy analysis and raised concerns about unforeseen consequences after the bill's passage. Despite the rush, internal discussions highlighted the government’s awareness of the reform’s contentious nature.

Officials noted that the proposed transitional arrangements “retrospectively deprived and altered people’s rights” and were “likely to provoke controversy,” possibly violating the Human Rights Act and the Bill of Rights. Yet, the government pressed on with the reform.

This approach has been widely criticized as “unusual and highly autocratic.” Public trust in the legislative process has been shaken, and the move has sparked fierce debate over transparency, accountability, and the balance between fiscal responsibility and workers' rights.