The gender pay gap has narrowed to 9.4 percent in the June 2017 quarter, down from 12 percent last year.
It's the smallest gap in five years according to Stats NZ figures.
The gap has narrowed from 12 percent in the June 2016 quarter to 9.4 percent in the June 2017 quarter.
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"Increases in median hourly earnings for women in four of eight occupation groups played a major part in the 4.6 percent rise in women's hourly earnings," said labour and income statistics manager Sean Broughton.
Minister for women Paula Bennett says it's great news to see the reduction and she believes businesses are taking the gender pay gap seriously.
"Don't get me wrong, I still believe having any gender pay gap is completely unacceptable but it's moving in the right direction. I want New Zealand to be the first country to eliminate the gender pay gap and I believe we can."
Labour leader Jacinda Ardern says the pay gap is moving in a "positive direction" but there's still work to be done.
"It's very encouraging to see that. There's some explanation around men's wages not increasing but it's encouraging to see it moving, of course close to 10 percent we've still got some way to go."
AUT senior lecturer in management Dr Katherine Ravenswood said the government needs to take more action to close the gap.
"While the pay gap is going down, the Government needs to show its commitment to reducing the gender pay gap for women more clearly. This includes investigating why, for example, more women are in low paid clerical/administrative jobs in the public service than in higher paid 'professional' jobs.
"They must also ensure that the Employment Pay Equity (and Equal Pay) Bill is significantly revised to ensure that it is accessible to women. Currently the Bill puts an undue onus on women to provide an in-depth explanation of historical discrimination for their occupation or profession. This is unfair, especially given that there is no requirement for wage transparency."
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