But Mr Orr is not the only public servant to receive a significant salary, as scrutiny of the State Services Commission website reveals. When wage inflation is at one of its lowest points in history, a 23.4% rise is unacceptable, or should be when Statistics New Zealand figures show wage rises of about 1.5% have been the norm for many workers in this country. The living wage is a non-binding goal designed to put pressure on employers to raise workers' pay above the legal minimum. The living wage is different from the minimum wage, where workers are paid $15.25 an hour, or $31,720 a year. But even the minimum wage seems too hot for some to handle as a few employers claim they cannot afford to pay even the bare minimum required by law.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 22, 2017 17:34 UTC