Data shows NZ'ers earning more

Posted by Andrew on October 7, 2016

New Zealanders are taking home more than 5 per cent extra in their pay packets a week than a year ago, Statistics New Zealand data shows.

The median weekly earnings from paid employment rose $44 to reach $924 a week between June 2015 and June 2016. That is the largest percentage increase since 2007.

"A rise in the proportion of full-time wage and salary earners, and the number of hours being worked, together pushed up median earnings for workers," labour and income statistics manager Mark Gordon said.

But not everyone is feeling that much better off.

Self-employed people's income only increased by $30 a week over the same period, and people who receive a benefit are only getting about $6 a week more.

Gisborne and Hawke's Bay workers had the biggest pay increase over the year, up 10.4 per cent to $850 a week. Aucklanders are pulling in a 6 per cent a week more, at $983 and Cantabrians 6.7 per cent more, at $921 a week.

But in Otago, pay dropped 3.5 per cent over the year.

People working in public administration and safety had some of the biggest pay rises, up 8.3 per cent to $31.17 an hour, followed by the health sector, up 7 per cent to $24.62 an hour, construction, up 6.4 per cent to $24.50 and retail, up 2.2 per cent to $17.

The gender pay gap widened slightly year-on-year. Women earn 12 per cent less than men now, compared to 9.1 per cent less four years ago.

Wellington still has the highest-earning population, followed by Auckland, then Waikato, Canterbury and Southland.