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SYDNEY - New Zealanders are being lured to Australia in record numbers and the latest wage figures partially explain why.
While the gulf between New Zealand and Australian pay packets is narrowing slightly, it's still a no-contest.
Australian full-time workers earned an average of A$1162 ($1350) per week in the year to November, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released today.
That compares with the New Zealand average weekly income of $957 from the last Statistics New Zealand survey, released in October.
Comparatively, New Zealand's earnings increased by 8.9 per cent while Australians enjoyed a five per cent increase.
Better pay is cited as one of the major reasons for the increasing drift across the Tasman.
According to recent Statistics New Zealand figures, the trans-Tasman outflow of permanent and long-term New Zealand migrants exceeded the inflow of Australians by almost 28,000 last year, the highest since 1988.
Last year, 41,634 New Zealand citizens migrated to Australia "permanently or long term" - defined as intending to stay for at least 12 months.
New Zealand's net loss increased by 7000 from the previous year.
Australia's booming mining and construction industries bumped up the nation's average wage figures.
Mining workers are officially Australia's highest paid employees, taking home an average of nearly A$2000 per week.
Construction workers' wages increased by 10 per cent to an average of A$1222 per week, while property and business services recorded a 9.5 per cent increase to an average of A$1239.
Workers in the accommodation, cafe and restaurant industry earned an average of A$849 per week, and the retail industry an average of A$892.
Australia's extra income had to stretch to cover higher living costs, rising inflation, interest rate hikes and increasing levels of debt.
Housing costs went up 5.6 per cent over the year, transport costs rose 5.6 per cent and health related costs jumped 4.1 per cent.
According to recent home affordability data, the average first Australian home buyer was paying A$437,400 to get into the property market by the end of 2007, while the average credit card debt currently sits at just over A$3000.
Meanwhile, women continued to fare badly in comparison to men in both countries.
Australian men earned an average of A$1248 a week (up 4.9 per cent) and women A$1009 (up 5.2 per cent) in the past year.
In New Zealand, men earned an average of $832 (up 10.4 per cent) and women $510 (up 7.8 per cent).
- NZPA
