Wages plummet under National

Real incomes have plummeted in the two years since National became government, with Māori and Pacific Island families hit the hardest, Labour’s candidate for Mana Kris Faafoi said today.

“Media European incomes have dropped by 3.4 per cent, or $21,over the last two years when adjusted for inflation.That is bad enough, but for Māori and Pacific the situation is much worse,” Kris Faafoi said.

“Since 2008 Maori incomes have dropped 11.5 per cent, or $50, on average, while Pacific Island wages have sunk by a staggering 19 per cent, or $89.

“It’s no wonder families are find times tough.

“National has loaded extra GST costs onto families, whose budgets were already stretched after 18 months of National’s government, power prices have shot up, ACC levies have soared and extra early childhood education costs are about to put families under even more pressure.

“And now these figures from Stats NZ, which have been adjusted for inflation, show what many people suspect – that they are actually going backwards under this government.

“With the much promised ‘aggressive’ economic recovery nowhere to be seen and inflation set to rise further due to the GST increase, the budgets of hard-working New Zealanders look set to be stretched even further.

Kris Faafoi said “Hekia Parata’s government has failed to provide families with the brighter future they promised. Instead prices are rising faster than wages leaving families struggling to make ends meet.

“This Saturday the people have a chance to send a clear message to Hekia and her government that this government is failing families, failing pacific people and failing to serve the communities of the Mana electorate and they all deserve better”.

ENDS

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