John Henzell

New Zealand's transformation into a lean and competitive economy could be at the cost of the health of Kiwis when they should be in the prime of their life.

The University of Canterbury's Geohealth Laboratory contributed to a landmark international study, published this week in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), that found the gap between rich and poor was one of the most powerful indicators of the health of young adults.

The study is based on mortality and income figures for New Zealand and 125 other countries, covering nearly 95 per cent of the world's population. The link between income inequality and poor health was found to be true in both rich and poor nations. The study authors concluded that social inequality seems to have a "universal negative impact" on health, particularly in the ages from 15 to 39.

"Humans are social animals and are not well constructed physiologically to survive in uncooperative surroundings – particularly in the prime of life," it said. "Income inequality is associated with higher mortality rates in all nations worldwide, not just affluent ones. Although the direct mechanisms that operate are likely to be different between different countries, there does not seem to be a beneficial impact on health anywhere."

Rodney Routledge, chairman of the Community Employment Initiatives Group in Christchurch, said the study's findings matched his own anecdotal observations from dealing with the city's poor and disadvantaged in the wake of the radical restructuring of New Zealand's economy in the 1980s. He found the gap between rich and poor was widening, and that had a clear impact on health and well-being. "One of the observations is that social isolation has become a major problem right across the board," he said. "Families need two incomes to get by, and people don't socialise with neighbours like they used to. Time with their family is cut back. "But for all this Government's faults, they've done a lot to increase access to primary healthcare for low-income people. They've tried to make it a preventative community focus."

He said access to healthcare despite income had significant benefits to the wellbeing of the poor and disadvantaged. Low unemployment levels hid the reality of the hidden unemployed, who do not feature on Government statistics.

A woman has taken her parents to court to get years of unpaid wages.

The woman sought nearly $130,000 compensation for working seven days a week in her parents' Canterbury supermarket without pay, but settled her case on the day it was due to be heard by the Employment Relations Authority in Christchurch.

Authority member James Chrichton suppressed the name of the woman, her parents, the location of the supermarket and details of the settlement.

The parents declined to comment on the dispute, but their daughter said outside court that she felt years of anxiety wash away as the case was settled.

"It's been worth it," she said. "It just feels like the stress is gone.  "I knew I had to do this. I felt unfairly treated. They didn't want to pay me a cent but finally they had to.

"It was all about control. ... I wanted to go flatting, but they wouldn't let me, so they prevented me from doing so."

The woman said the settlement was also a victory for her brother, who had been required to work part-time at their parents' supermarket, but instead of fighting he had turned his back on his parents.

In the woman's signed statement, obtained by The Press, she claimed she worked without pay for eight years, starting off after school for two years and then full-time for another six years.  She claimed she worked every day until her last year, when she was given one Sunday in three off.

She decreased her claim to take into account the full board at the family home and more than $12,000 she received from marketing companies.