The importance of low inflation and tax cuts
Just been looking at an old press release from Bill English. It compares the nine years from Sep 90 to Sep 99, the same period from Sep 99 to Sep 08 and the 21 months since then to June 10.
The average weekly earnings went up 27% in the 90s, 37% under Labour and 7% since Sep 00. The average increase per year is 3.0%, 4.1% and 4.0%.
But if you take account of tax paid, to look at what someone on the average earnings/wage gets to take home, then the increases are 33%, 33% and 11% – or annualized it is 3.7%, 3.7% and 6.3%.
Finally thought you want to look at the purchasing power – has someone earning at the average (mean) had their purchasing power increase during each of those periods, and by how much. Now inflation during each period was 16%, 29% and 2% Annualised this is 1.7%, 3.2% and 1.2%. This is worth remembering when Labour talks about cost of living.
So what was the increase in real after tax average earnings. They were 15.5% from Sep 90 to Sep 99, 3.0% from Sep 99 to Sep 08 and since Sep 08 8.7%. On an annualized basis, real wages went up 1.7% a year under National, then only 0.3% a year up until Sep 08, and a massive 5.0% a year since Sep 08.
| Average FT Earnings Increase/Year | |||
| Gross | Net | Real Net | |
| Sep 90 – 99 | 3.0% | 3.7% | 1.7% |
| Sep 99 – 08 | 4.1% | 3.7% | 0.3% |
| Sep 08 – Jun 10 | 4.0% | 6.3% | 5.0% |
This table above shows the difference. I’ll update it after we get the Dec 10 figures which will include the latest tax cuts, but also the GST impact.
The moral of the story is wage growth by itself is not enough. You also need low inflation and tax cuts to offset fiscal drag.