The government wants to see private companies take a leaf out of its book and do more to address a rising gender pay gap, Minister for Women Louise Upston says.

Statistics New Zealand figures show men's hourly earnings were 12 per cent higher than women's in June 2016, up from 9.9 per cent in 2014.

This means the gender pay gap has slipped back to 12 per cent, for the first time since 2008.

Louise Upston said the stats are disappointing, and would like to see more effort from private businesses.

"There are not as many women who are represented in more senior levels of an organisation," she said. "If you look at the private sector boards, only seventeen percent of those are women."

"It's a good reminder that we need to encourage employers to do more to measure what their own individual gender pay gap is within their own organisation, and then take steps to address it, which is actually what we're doing in the public sector."

In June, the median hourly wage for women was $22 while men earned $25 an hour.

The gap in the average wage was even larger at 13.6 per cent with women on average earning $4.09c less an hour than men.​

The gap in the average wage was even larger at 13.6 per cent with women on average earning $4.09c less an hour than men.​

Yesterday, Pay Equality Coalition spokesperson Angela McLeod said the government wasn't taking enough action:

"Women have waited long enough and tomorrow is the local government elections and women have been able to have the vote for 123 years - we have been a world leader so why can't we lead the world again on pay equity?"