Since its bi-cultural foundation with te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) in 1840, Aotearoa New Zealand’s (NZ) cultural identities have expanded through immigration. While NZ’s government seeks to
encourage diversity in public service agencies, workplace developments, including equity initiatives, are being disrupted by Covid-19. This is particularly significant for Pasifika and Māori women workers
for some of whom workplace inequities are more pronounced. Despite this difficult context, staff networks within NZ public agencies continue to function. This study appraises the roles, nature and
effectiveness of staff networks in several agencies, and the ‘ambition’ of their equity-related pursuits for employees. It draws on a qualitative content analysis of more than 70 semi-structured interviews
with sector experts, agency staff and managers. Findings include that some staff-led networks appear to mitigate the curb on equity activity through their encouragement of more inclusive and culturally- informed equity measures. Implications for the valuation and empowerment of Māori and Pasifika women are likely to resonate in countries with workforce diversity.