Region misses income figures

No one knows how much the average household in Wairarapa earns because the area isn't big enough to feature in official statistics.

Statistics New Zealand released household earnings figures yesterday, but Wairarapa was included in Wellington figures.

Separate local figures couldn't be released because the sample size was too small and this would violate its confidentiality policy, a spokesperson said.

The last time this information was available for Wairarapa was at the last census in 2006.

No other organisation contacted by the Times-Age, including councils and the Department of Labour, had any local income data.

Wairarapa Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stephanie Gunderson-Reid said the lack of information was challenging. "I would have to say that it makes it difficult to get a feel for the region without that information," she said.

"We use a lot of demographic information so we're quite reliant on Statistics New Zealand."

South Wairarapa Mayor Adrienne Staples said it wasn't appropriate to treat the Wairarapa as part of Greater Wellington. "We may be part of the Wellington region because someone has drawn a line on the map but we are a very different province - quite different to our metropolitan cousins over the hill.

"Lots of people are locally employed and the situation's very different."

But Carterton Mayor Ron Mark said he wasn't fazed by the lack of information. "We've been working a little blind for a while - we're all waiting for the census to be completed."

He said the Carterton District Council communicated closely with its public. "We are all pretty much in touch with the community. I don't find it hard to find out how much people earn - I'll just go and ask them."

Masterton Mayor Garry Daniell said he didn't feel the information was crucial.