If National wins ...

[elZorro]

Makes u feel good to be a NZer :-)

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/6763...roaches-parity

Aussies are still getting paid 30% more than NZers for the same jobs, on average. And a lot of their consumer goods are cheaper than ours. I suspect they are not generally looking our way. One thing they do have better over there for sure, is R&D tax incentives.

Labour is looking to improve its offer before 2017.

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/labour-...lips-bd-171121

[slimwin]

Cheaper consumer goods is hardly a surprise with the economies of scale.

[fungus pudding]

Aussies are still getting paid 30% more than NZers for the same jobs, on average. And a lot of their consumer goods are cheaper than ours.

And a hell of a lot are dearer, with a huge difference in cost for services. Try calling a plumber or mechanic Have a look at lawyers' or accountants' charges. If we doubled all wages and salaries tomorrow we would be getting more than them - but we'd be no better off. Don't be deluded with b/s about Aussie wages. Some consumer goods are cheaper (not for much longer) partly because they have about the lowest consumer taxes in the world. But their tax system is hopeless with extremely high income tax rates - A very large percentage of population pay marginal rate of 47%. They are due for a massive overhaul.

[Daytr]

There tax rates are only high on those earning a huge salary. I was on a substantial salary and my tax averaged around 33% due to the first 18k being tax free & the steps where tax brackets cut in being about higher than here. I'm trying to remember but I don't think the top tax bracket kickers in until 150k. So its not nearly bad as you paint FP. Net I would suggest you are still better off in Australia, but that probably depends what you earn.

[fungus pudding]

There tax rates are only high on those earning a huge salary. I was on a substantial salary and my tax averaged around 33% due to the first 18k being tax free & the steps where tax brackets cut in being about higher than here. I'm trying to remember but I don't think the top tax bracket kickers in until 150k. So its not nearly bad as you paint FP. Net I would suggest you are still better off in Australia, but that probably depends what you earn.

37% plus 2% medicare over 80k, and 80k is not high in Oz. 47% over 150 and I wouldn't want to live over there under 150k - certainly not in the big cities. (I parked in a Brisbane park last week for approx. 5 minutes - minimum charge applied - $16.50) I don't think Aussies are better off at all.

P.S. Even on $5 million a year your tax will not average 33% here

[craic]

This is a chicken-and-egg argument that you can't win. I spend time in Oz most years and its close enough to home for us to feel happy and comfortable there without having to make too many comparisons. It's probably much easier to live here on the pension than it is there as the NZ Super is generous by any standards but then if you are stupid enough to try and live in Auckland on the pension you won't agree. Buy a heat-and-eat meal in an Oz supermarket and you get a meal - buy it here and you get an entree. The bottom line is not how much you can earn but where you are and what you can do with it.

[slimwin]

The beer is expensive in OZ. How could anybody live like that.

[fungus pudding]

The beer is expensive in OZ. How could anybody live like that.

It works better though.

[BlackPeter]

Just came across this politically absolutely incorrect article: http://www.smh.com.au/business/motle...08-1mgjvq.html Shudder - just imagine an Aussie telling other Aussies that economy is doing well in New Zealand and hey, he even mentions some clever NZ companies which did well over the last couple of government terms.

Impossible.

Could maybe somebody of the resident opposition supporters tell them off and correct their unjustified pink NZ picture?

[Major von Tempsky]

Hmmm, one of EZ's 2 big hangups....there was an article in the Sydney Morning Herald saying the Australian R & D tax incentives are very little used and are not of much use....