Who are New Zealand's highest paid sportspeople?
With news coming through today that Cristiano Ronaldo has become football's first ever billionaire player, it's a good time to check up on our own high financial sports achievers from New Zealand.
Spoiler alert: they're not anywhere near the eight figure mark that the 40-year-old Ronaldo looks at every time he checks his savings account, but the earnings are still very lucrative and impressive.
There's a few regular entries on this list, so some names will come as no surprise. What may surprise you is who isn't, because while F1 driver Liam Lawson competes in one of the wealthiest and glamorous sports in the world, his take home earnings are reportedly 'only' around $1 million (plus performance bonuses) a season. That could change dramatically next year though - for better or worse.
Basketball - Steven Adams
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Steven Adams of the Houston Rockets rebounds against the Golden State Warriors during the NBA play-offs, 2025. No surprise here that Adams still tops the charts in verifiable earnings, as his NBA contract is common knowledge. Now at the Houston Rockets, Adams signed a $84 million, three year contract extension in June, which will take his guaranteed earnings to around $362 million over a 12-year career.
Football - Chris Wood
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Chris Wood celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC.Chris Wood celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC.
Easily New Zealand's greatest ever presence in the English Premier League, Wood has admirably done it the hard way. Now on his 12th club in 15 years, his massive season last year with Nottingham Forest has seen him valued at around $9 million per season, which in football terms is £100,000 a week. Wood still makes himself available for every All Whites fixture, for which he gets paid a fraction of what he does for his club, and thanks in part to his contribution they will return to the FIFA World Cup next year.
Boxing - Joe Parker
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Joseph Parker after beating Martin Bakole to retain his WBO interim title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 2025.Joseph Parker after beating Martin Bakole to retain his WBO interim title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 2025. Photo:
It's hard enough to confirm even the most rudimentary elements of the murky world of boxing, but it's fair to say Parker's decision to stick with the sport through to the now extremely lucrative Saudi Public Investment Fund era has been a very prudent one. He is now estimated to be picking up at least $3 million every time he steps in the ring, although a massive pay day against the likes of Oleksandr Usyk remains elusive.
Golf - Lydia Ko, Ryan Fox, Danny Lee, Steven Alker
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Fox has currently earned just under $6 million for the year, thanks to victories at the Myrtle Beach Classic and Canadian Open, as well as other results that have seen him climb into the world top 30 rankings. Meanwhile, Ko has been so successful for so long, she's now second on the all-time LPGA earning list, having taken home around $38 million in prize money across her glittering 13-year career.
Meanwhile, Lee decided to take the LIV Golf money on offer and while it's meant he's not really in the headlines, it's unlikely he cares too much as he earns around $5 million a year. Alker took home $4 million from the PGA Champions Tour last year, most of that from a $2.18 million payday after claiming the overall season title.
Rugby - Beauden Barrett, Ardie Savea
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Here's where it gets interesting because while everyone knows that while the All Blacks are well paid, their salaries are nowhere near the PGA or NBA range. NZ Rugby keep details secret, but it's understood Barrett and Savea would be on over $1 million a year in base salary, they can pick up an even bigger chunk of change for just one season in the Japanese Rugby League One competition.
Savea will head up for his second stint at the Kobe Steelers next year, as part of a negotiated deal that will see him return to the All Blacks in July. These sort of arrangements can effectively double an All Blacks' salary within the space of a few months.
Rugby league - Dylan Brown
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The Kiwis standoff will join the Newcastle Knights next season on a contract worth a reported $15 million. That is over 10 years though, but it is still the largest long term contract ever signed in the NRL.
Sailing - Peter Burling
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Burling's dramatic split with Emirates Team NZ and move to rivals Luna Rossa has likely involved a pay increase, which comes on top of what he is earning on the Sail GP circuit as skipper of the Black Foils.
Cricket - Trent Boult
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Boult takes home around $2.5 million a season in the Indian Premer League, where he plays for the Mumbai Indians. While that's a great result for one of our greatest ever bowlers, it pales in comparison to sort of ridiculous IPL money on offer. Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni and Virat Kholi have all surpassed the $30 million career earnings mark, and wages are only going to increase going forward.
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Some Choice News!
Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.
Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.
Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?
Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!
Scam Alert: Fake information regarding December Bonuses from MSD
The Ministry of Social Development is reporting that fake information is circulating about new ‘December bonuses’ or ‘benefit increases’
If you get suspicious communication, please contact Netsafe.
More than 120,000 disabled and older New Zealanders registered in the Total Mobility scheme will pay more for discounted taxi trips from next year as the Government announces a cut to trip subsidies.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop said subsidies would drop from 75% to 65% from July 1, 2026, blaming unsustainable rising costs.
Regional fare caps will also be lowered by around 10%.
Wide-ranging Ministry of Transport proposals for the scheme were released for consultation today. Suggested options included "strengthened" eligibility; periodic reassessments; caps on monthly trips; and the potential inclusion of ridesharing services.
"The Government is announcing decisions to stabilise the Total Mobility scheme so that the disability community is supported in a financially sustainable way, by all funding partners," Bishop said of the confirmed subsidy changes.
Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston said the new subsidy level would still be higher than what it was four years ago, when it was raised under the previous government.
"We appreciate these decisions will mean fares will increase for Total Mobility users.
"But they will still receive a higher subsidy level than prior to 2022. The changes also provide certainty that those who need the service will have continued access to it."
Demand for the scheme has soared since the subsidy rose from 50% in 2022. Registered users have jumped from 108,000 to 120,000, while trips have risen from 1.8 million in 2018 to three million.
Bishop said the 2022 increase had not accounted for higher demand over time.
"Increased demand now means the scheme is close to exceeding its Crown funding and is placing significant pressure on the contributions from local councils and NZTA," he said.
Costs are forecast to exceed funding by $236 million between 2025 and 2030 under current settings, according to the Government.
The Total Mobility scheme provided subsidised taxi fares for people who could not use public transport independently due to disability or age. The scheme was funded jointly by central government, NZTA's National Land Transport Fund and local councils.
The Government would also provide $10 million to NZTA to ease funding pressures on public transport authorities until the changes took effect.
Reacting to the subsidy changes, Disabled Persons Assembly chief executive Mojo Mathers told 1News that Total Mobility was an "essential service for us".
"This cut to Total Mobility on top of a cost-of-living crisis will only aggravate hardship in an already struggling population," she said in a statement.
"Total Mobility is an essential service for us. Not everyone can get on a bus or drive a car.
"Disabled people will face impossible choices when it comes to travel, when we know that over half don’t have enough to meet their everyday needs."
Labour has criticised the subsidy changes, saying the Government was "making life harder and more expensive for disabled New Zealanders".
Today's announcement came after a delayed year-long Transport Ministry review of the Total Mobility scheme, which included an earlier round of public consultation.
Further changes on the way, proposals in consultation
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Alongside the subsidy cut, the Ministry of Transport has opened consultation on proposals including trip caps, stricter eligibility assessments, and expanding service providers beyond taxis to include ride-hail apps and on-demand public transport.
"Beyond ensuring the scheme’s financial viability, the Government is also taking the opportunity to consider changes to strengthen a system so that it works better for disabled people,” Upston said.
"The Ministry of Transport will be releasing a discussion document to consult on proposals to strengthen Total Mobility to ensure fairer, consistent and more sustainable access to services for people with the greatest need."
The wide-ranging proposals were not yet Government policy and were open for feedback until March 22, 2026. The 10% subsidy cut was not part of the consultation.
The proposals include trip caps, with two options. The first would give all users a flat monthly cap of 30 to 40 trips at 65% subsidy, with either no further subsidised trips or a reduced 50% subsidy once reached. The second would allocate 10 base trips, plus extras based on need – for example, for employment, health, or education.
The ministry proposed tighter eligibility requirements, including medical evidence from health practitioners, occupational therapists or psychologists when applying.
Currently, assessment standards varied, with no documentary evidence required.
Periodic reassessments would also be introduced under another proposal, requiring users to be re-evaluated after a set period to ensure they remained eligible.
The proposals also aimed to expand service providers beyond traditional taxis to include ride-hail apps, on-demand public transport services, and volunteer community transport providers. The ministry said this could increase availability and give users more options.
It was unclear whether ride-hailing apps would include popular ride-sharing apps such as Uber.
To improve wheelchair accessibility, the ministry also proposed more incentives for service providers, including higher funding for installing ramps and hoists in vehicles, and raising the $10 per wheelchair trip payment that has remained unchanged since 2005.
The ministry was also exploring a national public transport concession for people with disabilities – separate from Total Mobility and implemented through the National Ticketing Solution from 2027.
Labour critical of subsidy changes
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Labour disability issues spokesperson Priyanca Radhakrishnan said the Government was "making life harder and more expensive for disabled New Zealanders by slashing discounted transport fares during a cost-of-living crisis".
"Under Christopher Luxon, disabled Kiwis will now pay more just to get to work, attend health appointments, or see loved ones,” she said in a statement.
"Disability communities feel betrayed. First came the overnight cut to flexible funding; then restrictions on residential care with no warning.
"Then Whaikaha was gutted and disability support shifted to the Social Development Ministry. Now, the transport subsidy many rely on to live independently has been cut.
"For many disabled Kiwis, affordable transport isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a lifeline. It means independence, dignity, and the ability to participate in everyday life and that’s why Labour increased the subsidy in government. This latest change is taking us backwards."
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