During an interview with the Today show, Mr Morrison was asked to comment on a leak that the 2016-17 budget would include tax cuts for workers who earn $80,000 and above.

While Mr Morrison would not speculate about what was to be included in the budget, which was announced last night, he did say a path needed to be cleared for the “people out there earning average wages.”

Six out of the seven people The Mercury spoke to on Monday said they did not consider $80,000 to be an average salary.

Ken Schofield of Woodberry said an average wage was “probably less” than $80,000.

“It’s always been unfair, politicians always get more and we just get less,” Mr Schofield said.

Shai Parker of Kurri said $80,000 was “too high” to be an average wage.

“We don’t get anywhere near that, it would be good to have $80,000 a year,” Mr Parker said.

Michelle Tessier of Woodville said it was a joke to think that $80,000 was an average wage.

Maitland Business Chamber president Craig McGregor said he believed an $80,000 salary was “out of step of the Hunter mark.”

He said while there would be people in the Maitland area who earnt more than $80,000 a year, there were a high number of people earning below that.

The Australian Taxation Office’s most recent report of income from 2012/13, which was gleaned from information provided by people in their tax returns, listed the average taxable income in Maitland/Largs/Lorn to be $58,835.

Average taxable incomes recorded in other suburbs in the Maitland local government area also came in well below $80,000 - Morpeth/Gillieston Heights/Lochinvar at $57,742, Greta at $57,211, East Maitland/Ashtonfield/Mulbring at $53,967 and Thornton/Woodberry at $52,119.

WATCH the video at maitlandmercury.com.au.