Pay parity - will playing “for the love of the game” suffice?
Photo: Photosport
Pay parity within sport has been a big issue following Minister of Sport Grant Robertson’s admission that equal pay in rugby needs to be addressed. New Zealand Rugby (NZR) have started negotiations with female players.
Also New Zealand Football is looking to put both male and female players on the same collective agreement. If this goes ahead it will be a world first.
The women’s Rugby League World Cup starts in Australia this week. New Zealand's Vice-Captain Georgia Hales says for many years “we basically play for the love of the game and nothing else”.
When she first started playing for the team, players were paying to represent their country.
“The first time I ever made Kiwi Ferns we had to pay some of our way to … compete in a test match and that was only a couple of years ago,” Hales says.
For the first time ever the women will be given an allowance during the world cup. The men will be paid. Although New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) declined to give specific details regarding amounts, Hales says it will make a difference as some of the players are only earners in the household, while others are single mothers supporting children.
“Hopefully this is just the seed of something that will grow into the future,” she says. “Hopefully we will be competing exactly the same level as the men’s and being rewarded exactly the same way”
“ … The way we play the game is just as important as the men’s.”
NZRL CEO Alex Hayton In a written statement says pay parity is important to New Zealand Rugby League and since they have taken responsibility for the Kiwi Ferns the organization has been addressing ways to grow the women’s game.
Commercial considerations however will continue to play a role in the way women are paid. “Currently it [women’s rugby league] is in a growth and development phase, and it will take time for it to gain the level of commercial recognition it needs so that we are in a position to pay them a fair amount,” he says. “…we expect increased public interest [around the World Cup] that will eventually lead to commercial interest and enable us to improve the pay and conditions for our athletes.”
