Hughesy took a pay cut to ensure pay parity with Kate

Dave “Hughesy” Hughes insisted on a pay cut this year so that KIIS FM would pay his co-host Kate Langbroek the same as him.

In a week where pay parity between men and women doing the same job on the same show is very much on the agenda, it came to light that Hughes told KIIS FM bosses to pay him less than the initially agreed amount so that he wouldn’t be out-earning his co-host.

The offer came after a groundbreaking on-air conversation on International Women’s Day, where Hughes was audibly shocked to discover he was being paid a staggering 40% more than Langbroek.

The two had never discussed what they were each being paid; upon discovering the discrepancy in 2016. She raised the issue with network bosses and her pay was raised to match his for the remainder of last year.

Agree! You’re a legend obviously – but most people aren’t seeing that the real hero is @katelangbroek knowing her worth and demanding it x

— ash london (@ash_london) October 18, 2017

After discussing their massive pay gap on air, Hughes told management that they should take a chunk from his agreed salary and pay Langbroek the same as him.

The duo revealed they’ll be at parity salary-wise in their new gig at SCA next year.

“And I couldn’t be happier, obviously,” Hughes said. “You deserve it.”

“Sometimes … men might get paid less than what they might have got to make sure that what’s fair is fair.”

The disparity and Hughes’ offer came up as the KIIS FM national drive hosts discussed the explosive revelations this week that Lisa Wilkinson had walked from Channel Nine’s Today show after the network refused to pay her the same as co-host Karl Stefanovic.