Government hikes pay for top executives.
The New Zealand government has approved significant pay increases for company directors despite ordinary Kiwis struggling with stagnant wages and rising household bills. According to Labour Leader Chris Hipkins, the move reflects a misplaced priority by National Party leaders Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis.
Under their leadership, lowest-paid workers face real-terms pay cuts while directors receive substantial hikes. Crown Infrastructure Partners directors saw an increase of 104%, Transpower directors got a 56% rise, and KiwiRail directors enjoyed an 89% boost in fees. Meanwhile, the government has announced it will not raise wages for the second year in a row to keep pace with inflation.
Labour claims this decision demonstrates the National Party's out-of-touch approach to addressing cost of living issues. "It shows how completely out of touch Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis are after only one year in office," Hipkins said, emphasizing that the government should prioritize helping ordinary Kiwis rather than rewarding those already doing well.