New Zealand going backwards

Today, the NZ Herald reported:

Households will be paying higher power bills this winter as energy price increases made months ago bite in the cold weather.

The increases will be especially felt in the North Island.

Some Auckland households face increases of up to $64 for the three months of winter.

Figures from energy retailer Powershop show an average-sized home in Auckland will face a power bill of up to $805 for June to August.

Budgeting services say that although most power prices went up in April, families will feel their true effect over winter.

"People are struggling with their bills already - even another $30 is going to make it really hard for some people," said Federation of Family Budgeting Services chief executive Raewyn Fox.

"There have been constant increases for five years or more. And it's a period when wages haven't gone up to the same extent."

As an excuse, National MPs claim that power prices increased more under the last Labour government. This is correct if you take the entire nine years and compare it to the three and a bit years that National has been in power, which just goes to show how banal they are.

She said this year's power increases would be keenly felt as the cost of living had greatly outpaced wage increases.

"We've seen people who really haven't had salary increases for three or four years," Ms Fox said.

"And things were tight before prices went up over that period."

In fact since 2008, the average income for 16 to 20 year old males decreased by 1%. If we factor in CPI inflation of around 11%, and there's no doubt that New Zealand is going backwards fast, especially for the young... All thanks to an agist and defunct National government.

Average increase is approximately 8% per annum.