2. Wage Rates—Household Incomes ReportCHRIS BISHOP (National) to the Minister of FinanceWage Rates—Household Incomes Report2. CHRIS BISHOP (National) to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on New Zealanders' rising incomes?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Finance): The annual Ministry of Social Development report Household incomes in New Zealand written by Bryan Perry was released yesterday. The report demonstrates that incomes have risen over the last 9 years across the income spectrum. In fact the number of children living in households with material hardship has dropped by one-third between 2011 and 2016. This is one of the real benefits New Zealanders get from having a Government focused on growing the economy driving job growth supporting vulnerable children getting the books into surplus and paying down debt. Chris Bishop: How much have wages risen by since the global financial crisis (GFC)?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The Perry report finds that median household incomes have risen around 11 to 13 percent in real terms from the period before the start of the GFC to 2015-16. In addition Statistics New Zealand data shows average after-tax wages have gone up 19 percent in real terms since December 2008. The equivalent figure by the way for the 1999 to 2008 period was only 5 percent. The Budget Economic and Fiscal Update forecasts that by 2021 the average wage will rise to $64300 a year which is $17000 a year more than when National first came into office.Rt Hon Winston Peters: It's not a speech time.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: So our strong economic plan is delivering Mr Peters increasing wages. I know you do not care about it.Mr SPEAKER: Before I call Mr Bishop I need substantially less interjection from one particular quarter. Chris Bishop: What additional measures are there in recent Budgets to boost New Zealanders' take-home pay?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The Perry report is based on data from the 2015-16 household economic survey. That means both the Budget 2015 Child Material Hardship Package and Budget 2017's Family Incomes Package are not yet reflected in the numbers. Together these initiatives increase main benefit levels above inflation for the first time in 40 years and deliver a $2 billion boost to the family tax credit accommodation supplement and income tax thresholds. The Family Incomes Package alone reduces the number of children living in families with less than half of the median income by around 50000 or about one-third—something that those who did not vote for this package obviously did not understand.Grant Robertson: Can the Minister confirm that there has been an increase of 125300 more people living in poverty since 2008 as is referenced on page 121 of the Perry report?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: No I cannot. I can though confirm for the member that over the last 5 years the number of children living in households with material hardship has dropped by one-third over the period 2011-16. I have good news for the member: the Family Incomes Package which will deliver more to those families comes into effect on 1 April next year where 75000 benefit-dependent families for example will get an increase in the accommodation supplement of an average of $30 a week.Chris Bishop: What other evidence has the Minister seen on the improving well-being of New Zealanders?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: New research released by Statistics New Zealand last week showed that most New Zealanders are positive about their life with around 83 percent rating it as 7 percent or above on a nought-to-10 scale. The regions were particularly strong with people in the Bay of Plenty Gisborne and Northland having higher positive ratings about their lives than the average New Zealander and with almost one-third of people in these regions rating it 10 out of 10. New Zealanders' increasing positivity is partly due to the improved economic situation. Statistics New Zealand notes that the economy was shrinking in 2008 with unemployment rising compared with last year when the economy grew by more than 3 percent.