Women's employment has been downgraded by National after it shuffled a council dealing with the issue out of the control of a Cabinet Minister to a more junior colleague, says Labour's Women's Affairs Spokesperson Sue Moroney.

"The announcement that the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women (NACEW) has been demoted from the responsibility of the Department of Labour to one of the smallest departments, the Ministry of Women's affairs, is evidence that the Government doesn't see women's employment as a concern.

"The decision comes despite revelations that the Government had been warned by officials that women's employment would get worse because it lacked a plan to deal with the issue. The downgrading of NACEW will just exacerbate the problem.

"Work has stopped on pay equity since that was moved from DOL to the Ministry of Women's Affairs and now women's employment is destined for the same fate.

"The committee will lose the resources and expertise of the Department of Labour and will instead rely on the diminished resources and lack of focus the Ministry of Women's Affairs has under this Government," said Sue Moroney.