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Story: Prices and inflation

Average hourly earnings, 1988–2008

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This graph compares the change in the average hourly earnings (AHE) of wage and salary earners with the consumer price index (CPI). This gives a good indication as to whether wage earners’ purchasing power rose or fell. Over the whole period the AHE rose more than the CPI.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Sources: Reserve Bank of New Zealand and Statistics New Zealand

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How to cite this page

Adolf Stroombergen, Prices and inflation – Price of labour and capital, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/graph/23098/average-hourly-earnings-1988-2008 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Adolf Stroombergen, published 15 February 2010.