Australia has just handed its lowest-paid workers a 4.75% pay rise, lifting the minimum wage to just over $25-Australian-dollars an hour – which is about $32-New Zealand-dollars.  

That means a full-time worker across the Tasman will now earn nearly $1004-Aussie-dollars, before tax. -- or $1216- Kiwi dollars. 

Here, the minimum wage went up just 2% this year to $23.95 an hour. Even our voluntary Living Wage, at $29.90, falls short of Australia’s legal minimum.  

At a time when rent, groceries, petrol, and power bills keep climbing – the comparison is stark. 

So, what does this say about how New Zealand values its workers? And, why on earth would any young person want to live and build a life here? 

Today on The Front Page, New Zealand Council of Trade Unions president Sandra Grey is with us to talk about the growing wage gap, what it means for workers here, and whether New Zealand is in danger of pricing itself out of its own future. 

Australia has just handed its lowest-paid workers a 4.75% pay rise, lifting the minimum wage to just over $25-Australian-dollars an hour &ndash; which is about $32-New Zealand-dollars.&nbsp;&nbsp;
That means a full-time worker across the Tasman will now earn&nbsp;nearly $1004-Aussie-dollars, before tax. -- or $1216- Kiwi dollars.&nbsp;
Here, the minimum wage went up just 2% this year to $23.95 an hour. Even our voluntary Living Wage, at $29.90, falls short of Australia&rsquo;s legal minimum.&nbsp;&nbsp;
At a time when rent, groceries, petrol, and power bills keep climbing &ndash; the comparison is stark.&nbsp;
So,&nbsp;what does this say about how New Zealand values its workers? And,&nbsp;why on earth&nbsp;would any young person want to live and build a life here?&nbsp;
Today on The Front Page,&nbsp;New Zealand Council of Trade Unions president&nbsp;Sandra Grey is with us to talk about the growing wage gap, what it means for workers here, and whether New Zealand is in danger of pricing itself out of its own future.&nbsp;

Go beyond the headlines with The Front Page, the New Zealand Herald’s daily news podcast. Each weekday Chelsea Daniels unpacks the stories shaping Aotearoa, from what’s happening in our own backyard to global events shaping our future.

Every episode we speak to leaders, experts, reporters, and those living the story, so you get the full picture. 

Subscribe now so you never miss an episode.

Go beyond the headlines with The Front Page, the New Zealand Herald&rsquo;s daily news podcast. Each weekday Chelsea Daniels unpacks the stories shaping Aotearoa, from what&rsquo;s happening in our own backyard to global events shaping our future.
Every episode we speak to leaders, experts, reporters, and those living the story, so you get the full picture.&nbsp;
Subscribe now so you never miss an episode.

Every day, The Front Page takes you behind the scenes of the biggest story from the New Zealand Herald. Hosted by Damien Venuto

The Front Page

Go beyond the headlines with The Front Page, the New Zealand Herald’s daily news analysis podcast. Each weekday Chelsea Daniels unpacks the stories shaping Aotearoa, from what’s happening in our own backyard to global events shaping our future. Every episode we speak to leaders, experts, reporters, and those living the story, so you get the full picture. Subscribe now so you never miss an episode.

Go beyond the headlines with The Front Page, the New Zealand Herald&rsquo;s daily news analysis podcast. Each weekday Chelsea Daniels unpacks the stories shaping Aotearoa, from what&rsquo;s happening in our own backyard to global events shaping our future. Every episode we speak to leaders, experts, reporters, and those living the story, so you get the full picture. Subscribe now so you never miss an episode.

Why should young Kiwis stay in NZ when Australia pays more?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/0b7abcaa-c152-40d1-b6ab-b45e00319a5e/transcript