By Susan Edmunds
What you get paid can depend a lot on where you live - both within New Zealand and trans-Tasman, new data shows.
Recruitment company Hays has released its latest salary guide, which includes "typical" salaries across a range of roles.
Hays New Zealand managing director David Trollope said that across Australia and New Zealand, 86 percent of organisations said they were intending to offer pay rises in the coming year, down from 95 percent the year before.
There were also 25 percent fewer organisations planning to offer more than 3 percent.
Human resources and accounting and finance seemed to be the areas most likely to experience pay increases, he said, and the cost of living was a big driver in determining how much of an increase to offer.
"The New Zealand labour market is still reasonably strong and crucially the sentiment after what has been a tough year is improving."
There was "no denying" it was a competitive job market, he said, but people in fields such as HR, healthcare and engineering would find it easier to secure new roles.
Some roles were being paid significantly more in Australia. A site engineer in the construction sector, for example, could earn 50 percent more in Sydney, based on Hays data.
But in some other roles, pay was more similar. A cyber security role would be paid $140,000 in New Zealand but $A135,000 ($NZ145,453) in Sydney, Hays said.
A chief operating officer at a firm with turnover of $50m to $500m might typically be paid $325,000 in New Zealand, but $A500,000 in Australia.
Australia's average full-time weekly total earnings were $A1953.70 in November 2023. In New Zealand in the September quarter, the average weekly earnings for all full-time equivalent employees was $1558.
Productivity growth would be needed, he said, as well as a stronger macroeconomy, structural changes towards different types of jobs, more investment in education, support for small business, more foreign direct investment and infrastructure development.
Tax cuts and flexible work arrangements would also help, he believed.
But economist Shamubeel Eaqub said it would take a long time - and the gap had been growing for decades.
"It's probably that we were too rich in the past, rather than too poor now."
The last National government had tried to close the gap, but had not succeeded, he said.
"It's about the fundamentals, how do you get your human capital right, your institutions, your culture? It's easy to say but hard to do. The gap has been building for a long time. Why should we expect to be able to turn it around quickly?"
Eric Crampton, chief economist at the NZ Initiative, said some key changes would be needed.
"Making it easier for firms to access capital, including by removing barriers to foreign direct investment, makes labour more productive. Easing regulation so that firms can focus on delivering value rather than undertaking costly compliance activities would also help: at minimum we should expect that regulation delivers more in benefit than it imposes in compliance cost.
"Land use regulation makes it hard for people and businesses to move to places where they can be more productive. And, leaving aside measurement issues in state-sector productivity, a sharp focus by government on ensuring that its spending delivers real value would improve real productivity as well.
"Higher wages require stronger productivity growth. Stronger productivity growth is possible, but Treasury just revised downward its expectations for the coming years. More substantial reform would be needed if closing the gap with Australia is still a goal."
Accounting and finance
The data shows a financial controller in a business with turnover up to $100 million would typically be earning $155,000 in Auckland, $150,000 in Wellington and $140,000 in Christchurch. In Sydney, they could typically earn $A165,000.
A commercial analyst could earn $130,000 in Auckland, $120,000 in Wellington and Christchurch and $A130,000 in Sydney. A corporate accountant in a business turning over $100m to $300m could typically earn $120,000 in Auckland, $110,000 in Wellington and $105,000 in Christchurch. In Sydney, they would typically be on $A125,000.
A graduate assistant accountant with no experience would start on $60,000 in Christchurch, $65,000 in Wellington and $60,000 in Auckland and $A65,000 in Sydney.
Tax accountants would typically make $95,000 in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch but $A120,000 in Sydney.
Architecture
Graduate architects would start on $85,000 in Auckland, and $75,000 in Wellington and Christchurch. In Sydney, they would be on $A75,000.
A senior architect with more than 10 years' experience would earn $A130,000 in Sydney, $125,000 in Auckland, and $120,000 in Wellington and Christchurch.
An interior designer would typically be on $80,000 in Auckland, $70,000 in Wellington and Christchurch and $A85,000 in Sydney.
Planners with five or more years' experience would be on $100,000 in Wellington and Christchurch, $110,000 in Auckland and $A112,000 in Sydney.
Construction
A civil construction foreperson would typically be on $A140,000 in Sydney, and $85,000 in New Zealand.
A civil construction project manager would earn $A180,000 in Sydney, and $130,000 in New Zealand. A site engineer would be on $80,000 in Auckland, $82,000 in Wellington and $75,000 in the South Island but $A120,000 in Sydney.
A building foreperson would be on $A140,000 in Sydney, and $90,000 in New Zealand.
Contact centres
A customer service officer would typically earn $60,000 a year in Auckland, $57,000 in Wellington and $52,000 in Christchurch but $A65,000 in Sydney.
Telesales consultants could earn $49,000 in Christchurch, $55,000 in Wellington and Auckland, and $A70,000 in Sydney.
Engineering
A civil designer/engineer would typically be on $120,000 in Auckland, $105,000 in Wellington and Christchurch and $A112,000 in Sydney.
A structural engineer would be on $A110,000 in Sydney, $120,000 in Auckland, $110,000 in Wellington and $110,000 in Christchurch.
Land surveyors would typically earn $A120,000 in Sydney, $110,000 in Auckland, $105,000 in Wellington and $100,000 in Christchurch.
Executive
Hays said a chief executive of a commercial firm with turnover up to $50m would typically be on $300,000 in New Zealand and $A350,000 in Australia. For a not-for-profit organisation of the same size, the pay would usually be $275,000 in New Zealand and $A280,00 in Australia.
Facilities management
A building manager could earn $A85,000 in Sydney, and $92,000 in New Zealand. For a facilities manager, pay would typically be $102,000 in Auckland and Wellington or $92,000 in Christchurch. Sydney would pay $A120,000.
Human resources
Hays said a head of human resources role in a company with more than 1000 employees would typically pay $250,000 in New Zealand and $A290,000 in Sydney. An HR manager in a business with 250 to 1000 employees would be paid $133,000 in New Zealand and $A170,000 in Sydney.
A learning and development manager could earn $128,000 in New Zealand or A$155,000 in Sydney.
Insurance
Underwriting assistants would earn about $60,000 in New Zealand, and $A70,000 in Sydney in general insurance. A domestic claims assessor would earn about the same here, and A$67,000 in Sydney. An account director in an insurance brokerage would typically earn $A180,000 in Sydney and $150,000 in New Zealand.
Logistics
A warehouse operations manager could earn $110,000 in New Zealand, $A150,000 in Sydney or $A130,000 in Melbourne. A transport manager would earn $110,000 in New Zealand, $A132,000 in Sydney and $A90,000 in Hobart. A supply chain demand planner would typically earn $80,000 in New Zealand, $A110,000 in Sydney and $A100,000 in Melbourne.
Marketing
An event manager would earn $A120,000 in Sydney and $90,000 in New Zealand. A graphic designer would typically be on $85,000 in this country or $A90,000 in Melbourne. A media relations manager could be on $125,000 in New Zealand but A$135,000 in Sydney, although only $A110,000 in Hobart.
Office support
Hays said an administration assistant with six to 12 months' experience would earn $60,000 in Auckland, $55,000 in Wellington and $53,000 in Christchurch. A receptionist with more than 12 months' experience would earn $A70,000 in Sydney, $60,000 in Auckland, $55,000 in Wellington or $56,000 in Christchurch. A switchboard operator might be paid $49,000 in Wellington or Christchurch but $A65,000 in Sydney.
Policy and strategy
A policy adviser would typically earn $82,000 in Wellington and $A80,000 in Canberra, Hays said. A programme manager could typically get $115,000 in Wellington or $A150,000 in Sydney.
Technology
A business analyst in projects and change management could earn $A140,000 in Sydney, or $110,000 in Auckland and Wellington. An automation developer might earn $A130,000 in Sydney or $140,000 in Auckland. A cloud platform engineer could earn $170,000 in Auckland typically, $150,000 in Wellington or $A160,000 in Sydney. A cyber security analyst would typically be on $A145,000 in Sydney, $130,000 in Auckland and Wellington or $120,000 in Christchurch.
