The Opposition says wage growth won't continue, as the economy is slowing down

Wage growth is the strongest it's been in more than a decade - increasing 2.4 percent for the year to September.

National's finance spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says you can't sustain higher wages if the economy is slowing down.

He says you can legislate for higher wages but long-term you will only get them through productivity.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate has risen from its 11-year low to 4.2 percent.