NZ average income rises

New Zealand average incomes rose during the three months ended June, with the highest incomes earned in the Wellington region.

Average hourly earnings for wage and salary workers rose by 6.9 per cent compared with the June 2002 quarter to $17.02, Statistics New Zealand said today in its latest income survey.

Average weekly income from all sources was $539, up 5.1 per cent, while average income from wages and salaries was $332, up 5.4 per cent.

The average weekly household income in the June quarter was $1171, up 5.0 per cent from the same quarter a year ago, while the median weekly household income rose 3 per cent to $951.

The lowest weekly household income of $505 was received by one parent with dependent children only households, up from $493 in the June 2002 quarter.

The highest average weekly income from all sources -- $766 -- was received by people aged between 45 and 54.

On a regional basis, the Wellington region had the highest average weekly income for all people of $607, followed by Auckland at $588 and Taranaki at $525.

Otago had the lowest weekly income of $442, followed by Northland with $450.

Men were paid on average $674 a week, from all sources, while women were paid $410.

Wages and salaries remained the primary source of weekly income, for 50.8 per cent of people, followed by income from investments (31.8 per cent), government transfers (29.5 per cent), self-employed (12.4 per cent), no source of income (10.5 per cent), and other (2.3 per cent).

Government transfers includes benefits, student allowances, family support, ACC, and superannuation.

On an ethnic basis, average weekly income from all sources was $580 for Pakeha/European, $444 for Maori and $373 for Pacific peoples.

- NZPA