Top state house income nearly $95,000

State houses in West Auckland. Herald file picture

The top five after-tax incomes of state house tenants range from $78,520 to nearly $95,000, the National Party has revealed.

Housing spokesman Phil Heatley obtained the figures through written parliamentary questions to Housing Minister Chris Carter.

"Fair-minded New Zealanders have no problem helping those who are struggling to make ends meet, but that goodwill is likely to evaporate if Labour doesn't put the checks in place to make sure taxpayer money is being spent wisely," Mr Heatley said today.

"Labour should focus on moving those who are able to look after themselves into their own homes, and free up Housing New Zealand properties for people in genuine need."

The figures show the top five after-tax household incomes as $78,520, $80,588, $82,240, $84,968 and $94,938.

Mr Heatley said Statistics New Zealand reported in June that the average annual gross income for a household was $65,520.

The Government's routine answer to National's complaints about state housing is that the previous National-led government sold thousands of homes and it has been rebuilding up the stock since it came to power in 1999.

- NZPA