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Govt and Labour locked in numbers game

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Thu, 29 Jul 2010 5:42a.m.

Labour thinks it is scoring points over the growing wage gap with Australia and today could again try to embarrass the Government

Labour thinks it is scoring points over the growing wage gap with Australia and today could again try to embarrass the Government

Labour thinks it is scoring points over the growing wage gap with Australia and today could again try to embarrass the Government in Parliament.

Opposition MPs yesterday armed themselves with statistics after Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee said the wage gap between the two countries was "certainly a lot less" under National than it was when Labour held office.

National campaigned on closing the wage gap, and Labour is attempting to prove it is failing to achieve that.

The problem is they are both using statistics selectively and neither side has won the numbers game.

Compared with some of the years when Labour was in power Mr Brownlee is technically correct, but Labour's official figures show New Zealand's average adult wage has increased $43.14 from the time National took office to February this year, while in Australia wages rose by $A85.90 ($NZ105.66) during the same period.

Prime Minister John Key said the wage gap was smaller now than it was every year from 2003 to 2007 when Labour was in power.

Mr Brownlee's reply to a Labour Party question lasted nearly three minutes and involved figures, currency conversions, purchase price parity and adjustments from gross to net wages.

At the end of it, no one was any the wiser.

NZPA

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Comments

29 Jul 2010 05:03p.m.

alan wrote:

Labour should reflect on the 9 years of shocking mismanagement where finacial halfwits like cullen absolutely put nz on the backfoot. I would go so far as to state if clark and cullen were chinese citizens and did what they did to china they would have both been executed. Goff needs to remember that this type of so called point scoring is pathetic and there is not a chance in hell he will win the next election.

29 Jul 2010 04:43p.m.

paul wrote:

national dont give a rats arse about workers pay they are all talk , they are two cosey with big business to ever see the wage cap close with australia.

29 Jul 2010 01:53p.m.

David Jacobs wrote:

When are these parties going to understand that NZ is NZ and Aust is Aust. We have different economies and different financial structures. We do not derive the majority of our income from lucrative mining ventures, so we should be happy with our lot unless we wish to become the eighth state of Aust. If we do happen to go down that road, what will happen to mining in our national parks? Do you think that the Australians will listen or even care?
Sure everyone will have more disposable income, but that is not the be all and end all of everything. We have a lifestyle here, and should endeavour to maintain it. Those who wish to earn more than they do here can go to Aust and let us who are not so money conscious stay here and live in peace.

29 Jul 2010 12:49p.m.

Bill wrote:

No wonder the world is in the state it's in, Merchant Bankers can't even get figures right, and we have an ex Merchant Banker trying to fudge the figures here also. There is no way this Nanny Country will ever catch up to Aust in wages, there's too many PC leftist loonies in this country who hold up any development to increase the wealth here.

29 Jul 2010 10:37a.m.

simon wrote:

Will make no difference which party is in Govt in NZ, neither will bring in policies which may help NZ catch up with Aust.

Australia has no problem digging things out of the ground and exporting them unlike NZ, it has a far different population make up from NZ, just has a whole bunch of advantages that NZ does not have including govts that on occasions make decisions that whilst not popular actually create wealth and opportunity to prosper.

No chance of that happening in NZ with photo op smiley wet Key (want to everyones friend)in charge

Aaron why stop at $14 an hour, why not $30 an hour, then everyone can be wealthy, only problem is Aaron half the population would be unemployed as businesses close down.

NZ is exactly where it deserves to be, a nation of low paid cow milkers and bed makers and I see nothing that will ever change that.

29 Jul 2010 09:23a.m.

Dale 4 Social Reform wrote:

What do you know Ian Labour has options like jumping into bed with the minor parties. It might cost labour the leadership role in doing so but what do you know? Anything?

29 Jul 2010 09:01a.m.

aron wrote:

Yea they need some good new policies like promising a rise to fourteen dollars an hour for minimal wage, first $10.000 earned tax free. But to be honest the gap has grown since 2008

29 Jul 2010 08:56a.m.

Ernie Thompson wrote:

Note the wage gap didn't narrow under 9 years of a Labour Government.

29 Jul 2010 07:45a.m.

Ian wrote:

Labour have to realise they will not win an election on point scoring. They need new policy, a new leader and to stop being negative and appear to be moaning all the time.