QV boss takes home extra $180k

Labour's housing spokesman, Phil Twyford, said the salary increase was as "wild" as Auckland's house-price inflation. Photo / Doug Sherring

A public sector boss has pocketed a $180,000 pay rise despite calls by the Government for restraint.

Quotable Value chief executive Bill Osborne's salary package rose from between $500,000 and $510,000 to between $680,000 and $690,000, the organisation's annual report shows.

That amounted to an increase of between 33 and 38 per cent in the 2014-15 year, far higher than the inflation rate of 0.4 per cent and wage increases of 1.7 per cent.

QV is a state-owned enterprise which produces data on New Zealand's housing market.

Labour's housing spokesman, Phil Twyford, said the salary increase was as "wild" as Auckland's house-price inflation.

"It gives every impression that his salary is tied to the rate of increase of Auckland houses," he said.

Mr Twyford said the organisation produced the most credible data on house prices, but "that doesn't mean the chief executive deserves a $180,000 salary increase".

In January, Finance Minister Bill English warned that public sector employees faced restrained wage increases while the Government sought to balance the books.

The chief executive's pay was decided by the QV board, which was being sought for comment last night.