In the money: Who wants to be a zillionaire?

By MICHELE HEWITSON

There's something about the sound of a million dollars. But many real-money people think of it as small change.

Brent Proctor, financial planning partner at PriceWaterhouseCoopers

"Wealth has moved way beyond the million dollars these days. You only have to own a decent house in Auckland to be a millionaire. Retire with $1 million and at 5 per cent interest you'll only get $50,000 a year, which isn't such a flash lifestyle."

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Jim Boult, Shotover Jet founder

"$1 million is not a lot of money nowadays - million-dollar houses are pretty common these days. I can remember I came home and told my wife that I'd finally calculated we were worth a million dollars. I think we went out and celebrated. It was big news - that was in the early 80s. I bought a case of champagne.

Now I wouldn't say it's nothing, but it's certain you wouldn't call yourself rich if you had a million."

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John Banks, Mayor of Auckland and businessman

"For $1 million in Whangarei you could have a freehold house plus an investment income. You could own a small factory. You could own a shop and you could own a nice home. It's tougher in Auckland because average house prices are much greater. We have slipped so badly against other currencies that one day $10 million in this nation won't be a lot of money. That is a problem."

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Ben Elliott, head of wealth distribution, Westpac

"If I'd said to you 20 years ago, 'You're a millionaire. What would that buy you in Auckland?' It would buy you a lot. Today you would actually exclude yourself from a lot of Auckland property because you haven't got enough."

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Laila McDonald, Barfoot and Thompson, Remuera

"A million to two million is very average."