Australian workers are being paid even more than their Kiwi cousins since National became the government.

The Dominion Post newspaper reported that while Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee was saying the wage gap had reduced since his party came into office, figures it obtained comparing average weekly earnings in November 2008 and February this year painted a different picture. They showed New Zealand wages grew by 5.2 per cent compared to 6.17 per cent for Australia.

Australia's ordinary average wage rose from $A1165 to $A1243 while New Zealand's went from $A724 to $NZ947 $A770. On Tuesday's currency rates, the gap widened from about $A439 a week in December 2008 to around $A471 in March this year.

Australia weathered the global financial crisis in better shape than New Zealand, avoiding recession while New Zealand did not.

In parliament on Tuesday Brownlee said it would take time to work out exactly how much the gap would close by after the October 1 tax cuts, but the gap between the two countries "is certainly a lot less" than under Labour.