How are the minimum wage and the living wage different?
The minimum wage went up about 7% to $22.70 on April 1, while the living wage will rise by 9.9% to $26 from September 1 this year.
Both changes reflect New Zealand's high cost of living at the moment, but the two figures are set by different people and they have different impacts on different groups of Kiwis. Here's what it all means.
What is the minimum wage?
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The minimum wage is a legal obligation, set by the government and reviewed each year. It applies to most employees aged 16 years or over, and it's the lowest amount an employer can pay their employee (before tax).
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment estimates about 222,900 people will see their pay rise with the latest hike.
As well as the adult minimum wage, there's a starting-out minimum wage — now $18.16 — for some 16 to 19-year-old employees who haven't been with their current employer for six continuous months yet, or are still undertaking industry training. It is 80% of the adult minimum wage.
But "if an employee is supervising or training other workers, then the starting-out minimum wage doesn't apply and they must be paid at least the adult minimum wage", the Employment NZ website clarifies.
There's also a training minimum wage — also $18.16 — for certain employees, including many apprentices, who are over 20 and undergoing an approved industry training programme.
It doesn't apply to employees who are being trained at work, and again, it doesn't apply to employees supervising or training others.
Are there any exceptions to the rule?
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Not everyone's pay rate is covered by the legislation that sets the minimum wage.
Migrant workers have the same minimum employment rights as Kiwi workers, but a small number of people with disabilities that affect their work are paid less than the minimum wage.
There is no minimum wage for employees under 16, while "inmates of any charitable institution (who aren't living there just because they're employees) who do any work as inmates" are also exempt, as are prisoners working while in custody.
How's the living wage different?
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The living wage is an opt-in rate, released by a group called the Living Wage Movement Aotearoa New Zealand.
In their words, the living wage "means thriving, not just surviving".
It's currently $23.65, and accredited living wage employers pledge to pay at least that amount to all staff and regular contractors.
Like the minimum wage, the cost of living is a key factor in how it's calculated. It is worked out independently, using the latest data and movement in New Zealand’s average hourly earnings.
Living wage employers must meet certain criteria.
How have the two been tracking?
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Both wages have been rising for years, with the current hikes coming as inflation is close to a 32-year high at 7.2%.
The minimum wage was set at just $8.50 two decades ago, from March 24, 2003.
It hit $13 on April 1, 2011, and rose steadily from there before reaching $20 for the first time on April 1, 2021.
The first living wage in New Zealand was set at $18.40 in 2013. At the time, the minimum wage was $13.75.
The living wage cleared $20 within a few years, set at $20.20 in 2017.
Since September 1 last year, it's been $23.65, and the new rate later this year will be the first time it's cleared $25.
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7 tips for buying your Christmas ham
It’s the centerpiece of the Christmas table, so when you’re peering into the supermarket chiller or ordering from the butcher, choosing the perfect ham can feel like a daunting task.
Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing one to bring home with you.
1. What type of ham to buy
You’ve got some decisions to make when it comes to the type of Christmas ham you’re going to buy.
Cooked on the bone (COB) ham is the traditional Christmas ham. If you’re buying a half ham, you’ll have the choice of the shank or fillet end. The shank is the part with the bone sticking out that gives the ham that traditional look. The fillet end is the round part that gives more meat. If you’re deciding whether to get a whole ham or half, consider how quickly you’ll be able to eat it all. You only have about a week to eat an opened ham before it will go off, so it can be a good idea to get two halves. That way you can eat one half during the week of Christmas and save the other for January.
Champagne ham has had the bone removed and only has the hock left on, so it’s easier to carve.
Pressed ham – also known as continental ham – has had the bones removed and has been pressed, so it’s also easy to carve.
2. Check the pork percentage
The label on a packaged ham will say what percentage is actually meat. Hams are injected with brine, to keep them moist, and additives. The brine injection level for manufactured hams is usually between 10% and 35% of the ham's weight. A manufacturer that wants to produce a cheap ham will add more water to bump up the weight.
3. Know how to tell if it’s New Zealand pork
By far, most of the hams bought in New Zealand this Christmas will be from pigs reared overseas. New Zealand imports pork from about 25 countries. It’s frustrating for New Zealand pig farmers because this ham can come from farms that don’t have to meet the same animal welfare standards as we have in this country. As a result, overseas meat is often cheaper.
If buying New Zealand pork is important to you, look for:
words on the packaging like ‘New Zealand pork’ or ‘born and raised in New Zealand’
4. Have a good look at the ham
If you’re going to be glazing your ham, look for one that is covered in a finger-thick layer of fat. This will give you the thickness you need to make good score lines.
New Zealand Pork’s website also advises looking for a ham that has a meaty texture rather than one that looks wet or rubbery. It says the ham’s skin should be smooth with even colouring. “If the knuckle is sunken, it may be overcooked. If the rind is buckled or uneven, it may be a sign of dryness.”
5. Ask a lot of questions
If you’re ordering your pork from a butcher, you probably won’t be able to compare hams like you would at the supermarket. So, make sure you ask lots of questions, now that you know what you’re looking for.
You could ask:
Is the ham made from New Zealand born and farmed pork?
What will be its injection percentage?
What flavours will it have?
You could even ask if there’s a glaze the butcher thinks would work particularly well with those flavours.
6. Know what size you’ll need
If the ham is the only meat on your Christmas menu, New Zealand Pork advises allowing 1kg of ham for five people. Or if you’ve got other meat options, 1kg will feed about six to eight people.
7. Know the best hams in New Zealand
The best hams of the year were awarded at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards earlier in the year so you can check out which ones got medals. Some of them are only available in the city the butcher is based, but a Farmland boneless ham available nationwide won a gold award and Woolworths bone-in and boneless hams picked up bronze.
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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!
From National MP--CHRIS BISHOP----'Twas the night before taxes'
’Twas the night before taxes, and all through the nation,
Hard-working Kiwis were still feeling Labour’s inflation.
While their payslips were hidden with care,
They prayed Hipkins and Chloë wouldn’t take their ‘fair’ share.
When out by the Beehive there rose such a shout,
The Greens’ TikTok was not getting enough clout.
“We need more taxes!” Chloë said with a flair,
“For justice! For progress! For… I’ll think of the rest later, I swear.”
Hipkins quickly agreed, as Chloë and the Greens held the key,
He knew he couldn’t win without their guarantee.
But before he could breathe, Te Pāti Māori came with a glare,
Holding a wishlist of taxes that reached mid-air.
And so the trio assembled, a most troublesome sight,
Ready to dream up new taxes till the early midnight.
But no need to worry, National set things right,
We delivered tax relief that finally eased the bite.
And with new roads, schools, and hospitals underway,
Our infrastructure is getting stronger everyday.
Fixing the basics and building the future, as we’ve said,
So every Kiwi family can finally get ahead.
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