NZIDRS: Regarding average income versus scholarship living allowances discrepancy

NZIDRS: Regarding average income versus scholarship living allowances discrepancy

In contemplation of possible scholarship application I have uncovered discrepancies at the funding or endowment decision-making level of NZIDRS which might benefit from discussion. These have been uncovered through cost analysis preparations for a possible research proposal which I am undertaking for a project management course as an external student for a Graduate Certificate in Research Commercialisation with Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia.

For example, The New Zealand immigration guide website ENZ describes average hourly income for all New Zealand employees at $24.33 as of September 2008 from Statistics New Zealand. Furthermore the average NZ male employee is described as working 37.9 hours per week and with an additional 1.2 hours paid overtime earns an average of $1,010 per week. My focus here is that the New Zealand male most closely correlates to my own case as a Canadian male with a somewhat similar average annual income.

What would be the incentive to further graduate studies if the discrepancy between average annual income and living allowance could be so large?

I would like to know under what economic formula has New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarships (NZIDRS) arrived at a workable weekly "salary" provision which so under-performs average incomes of actual New Zealand full-time workers? A NZ$20,500 per annum living allowance (NZ$1708.33 per month) appears nearly half of what average workers earn annually. This would appear 2.36 times less than the average weekly income of a male worker in New Zealand.

What other means of funding supplementation are participants in the NZIDRS scholarship program able to access? Are additional corporate sponsors permitted? For example, what is the actual motivation to apply for such scholarships if in fact local university work related provisions are limited to an average of 11.5 hours weekly for full-time graduate scholarship holders? If a position could be held at average NZ income hourly rates a total of $280 a week would add up to an additional $14,549 annually.

This would still only arrive at $35,049.35 annually. What are New Zealand's minimum annual incomes for maintaining an above the poverty line quality of life either as a graduate student or average full time worker?

May local university scholarships be concurrently held? For example VUW provides a
$ 12,000 per annum stipend. The two combined would equal $32,500. This remains 32.12%below the average New Zealand male's annual income of $52,520. Do universities generally provide concurrent scholarships to successful entrants to the NZIDRS program?