Chapter 2: Wages and Prices

2.1 Average weekly ordinary time earnings

2.1 Average weekly ordinary time earnings

  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
AWOTE (a) (b) – $ per week      
New South Wales 1 257.6 1 301.8 1 338.8 1 403.4 1 440.1
Victoria 1 205.0 1 246.9 1 294.8 1 334.8 1 384.6
Queensland 1 218.9 1 270.3 1 311.2 1 396.9 1 430.4
South Australia 1 130.3 1 177.5 1 225.7 1 279.2 1 339.0
Western Australia 1 351.5 1 442.8 1 520.4 1 617.7 1 630.6
Tasmania 1 073.4 1 133.7 1 186.4 1 246.2 1 257.8
Northern Territory 1 203.2 1 279.3 1 393.7 1 433.4 1 433.1
Australian Capital Territory 1 433.0 1 485.9 1 571.4 1 673.6 1 667.7
Australia 1 238.5 1 290.0 1 339.7 1 408.5 1 445.6
           
Annual change – per cent 
New South Wales 5.6 3.5 2.8 4.8 2.6
Victoria 5.0 3.5 3.8 3.1 3.7
Queensland 6.8 4.2 3.2 6.5 2.4
South Australia 1.8 4.2 4.1 4.4 4.7
Western Australia 6.6 6.8 5.4 6.4 0.8
Tasmania 7.9 5.6 4.7 5.0 0.9
Northern Territory 5.3 6.3 8.9 2.8 0.0
Australian Capital Territory 6.8 3.7 5.8 6.5 -0.4
Australia 5.6 4.2 3.9 5.1 2.6
           
(a) Annual average of bi-annual data.        
(b) Average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adult employees.    
Care should be taken when comparing average weekly earnings of states over time due to compositional changes
Source: ABS, Average weekly earnings, Australia, cat. no.6302.0, ABS, Canberra, May 2015.

2.2 Real average weekly ordinary time earnings

2.2 Real average weekly ordinary time earnings

  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
Real AWOTE (a) (b) – $ per week 
New South Wales 1 396.2 1 403.5 1 408.3 1 439.6 1 440.1
Victoria 1 340.3 1 342.6 1 362.4 1 374.9 1 387.6
Queensland 1 350.8 1 362.2 1 379.7 1 441.0 1 435.5
South Australia 1 259.5 1 271.4 1 289.4 1 318.9 1 346.0
Western Australia 1 494.6 1 551.5 1 600.2 1 665.2 1 629.8
Tasmania 1 188.9 1 220.3 1 248.1 1 296.4 1 276.3
Northern Territory 1 327.5 1 374.7 1 466.5 1 463.2 1 410.9
Australian Capital Territory 1 587.7 1 602.4 1 653.9 1 728.2 1 684.9
Australia 1 375.0 1 388.9 1 410.0 1 449.4 1 448.3
           
Annual change – per cent       
New South Wales 3.2 0.5 0.3 2.2 0.0
Victoria 2.9 0.2 1.5 0.9 0.9
Queensland 4.0 0.8 1.3 4.4 -0.4
South Australia -0.4 0.9 1.4 2.3 2.0
Western Australia 4.0 3.8 3.1 4.1 -2.1
Tasmania 5.2 2.6 2.3 3.9 -1.5
Northern Territory 2.1 3.6 6.7 -0.2 -3.6
Australian Capital Territory 4.5 0.9 3.2 4.5 -2.5
Australia 3.2 1.0 1.5 2.8 -0.1
           
(a) Annual average.          

(b) Average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adult employees expressed in average 2013–14 dollars;
converted to real terms using the Consumer Price Index.

Care should be taken when comparing average weekly earnings of states over time due to compositional changes

Source: ABS, Average weekly earnings, Australia, cat. no.6302.0, ABS, Canberra, May 2015; ABS,
Consumer price index, Australia, cat. no. 6401.0, ABS, Canberra, June 2015.

2.3 Male total average weekly earnings

2.3 Male total average weekly earnings

  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
MTAWE (a) (b) – $ per week     
New South Wales 1 164.9 1 197.4 1 233.8 1 312.0 1 319.0
Victoria 1 127.7 1 175.9 1 213.3 1 248.3 1 284.0
Queensland 1 198.7 1 241.6 1 270.3 1 350.2 1 356.2
South Australia 1 037.3 1 103.9 1 147.5 1 200.2 1 279.0
Western Australia 1 349.5 1 454.2 1 546.1 1 640.3 1 629.2
Tasmania  945.9 1 004.1 1 053.7 1 100.0 1 115.6
Northern Territory 1 178.6 1 268.4 1 408.4 1 471.6 1 414.1
Australian Capital Territory 1 341.2 1 408.4 1 501.4 1 590.6 1 497.0
Australia 1 173.1 1 223.7 1 270.1 1 340.5 1 356.3
           
Annual change – per cent       
New South Wales 4.1 2.8 3.0 6.3 0.5
Victoria 8.7 4.3 3.2 2.9 2.9
Queensland 7.4 3.6 2.3 6.3 0.4
South Australia 3.1 6.4 4.0 4.6 6.6
Western Australia 4.8 7.8 6.3 6.1 -0.7
Tasmania 5.7 6.2 4.9 4.4 1.4
Northern Territory 5.8 7.6 11.0 4.5 -3.9
Australian Capital Territory 8.4 5.0 6.6 5.9 -5.9
Australia 6.1 4.3 3.8 5.5 1.2
           
(a) Annual average of bi-annual data.        
(b) Total average weekly earnings for all male employees.      
Care should be taken when comparing average weekly earnings of states over time due to
compositional changes.
Source: ABS, Average weekly earnings, cat. no. 6302.0, ABS, Canberra, May 2015. 

2.4 Female total average weekly earnings

2.4 Female total average weekly earnings

  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
FTAWE (a) (b) – $ per week     
New South Wales  784.3  822.4  834.2  873.2  909.9
Victoria  725.5  766.3  784.7  819.5  835.1
Queensland  756.7  788.6  803.4  810.6  834.8
South Australia  696.1  708.2  753.8  757.3  839.8
Western Australia  732.5  758.6  822.0  868.5  925.2
Tasmania  653.6  694.4  734.7  765.3  763.2
Northern Territory  879.7  916.9  958.4  998.0 1 009.8
Australian Capital Territory  998.0 1 087.6 1 150.8 1 186.0 1 160.2
Australia  754.8  789.9  815.0  845.0  877.0
           
Annual change – per cent          
New South Wales 4.2 4.9 1.4 4.7 4.2
Victoria 5.6 5.6 2.4 4.4 1.9
Queensland 4.9 4.2 1.9 0.9 3.0
South Australia 1.7 1.7 6.4 0.5 10.9
Western Australia 4.9 3.6 8.4 5.7 6.5
Tasmania 7.8 6.2 5.8 4.2 -0.3
Northern Territory 6.6 4.2 4.5 4.1 1.2
Australian Capital Territory 5.1 9.0 5.8 3.1 -2.2
Australia 4.7 4.7 3.2 3.7 3.8
           
(a) Annual average of bi-annual data.        
(b) Total average weekly earnings for all female employees.      
Source: ABS, Average weekly earnings, cat. no. 6302.0, ABS, Canberra, May 2015.   

2.5 Total average weekly earnings

2.5 Total average weekly earnings

  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
TAWE (a) (b) – $ per week     
New South Wales  978.2 1 011.2 1 035.4 1 094.5 1 115.6
Victoria  925.8  965.7  998.7 1 034.9 1 060.6
Queensland  981.7 1 016.6 1 036.2 1 072.5 1 090.0
South Australia  864.1  899.8  945.9  974.2 1 062.9
Western Australia 1 051.1 1 105.8 1 198.7 1 271.0 1 305.3
Tasmania  802.3  854.0  895.9  936.3  937.6
Northern Territory 1 028.3 1 094.3 1 188.1 1 244.2 1 210.3
Australian Capital Territory 1 163.8 1 245.3 1 320.2 1 379.1 1 318.7
Australia  966.1 1 005.7 1 043.5 1 093.2 1 118.6
           
Annual change – per cent       
New South Wales 4.2 3.4 2.4 5.7 1.9
Victoria 7.5 4.3 3.4 3.6 2.5
Queensland 6.3 3.6 1.9 3.5 1.6
South Australia 3.1 4.1 5.1 3.0 9.1
Western Australia 5.4 5.2 8.4 6.0 2.7
Tasmania 7.2 6.4 4.9 4.5 0.1
Northern Territory 6.7 6.4 8.6 4.7 -2.7
Australian Capital Territory 7.3 7.0 6.0 4.5 -4.4
Australia 5.7 4.1 3.8 4.8 2.3
           
(a) Annual average of bi-annual data.        
(b) Total average weekly earnings for all employees.      
Source: ABS, Average weekly earnings, cat. no. 6302.0, ABS, Canberra, May 2015.   

2.6 Real total average weekly earnings

2.6 Real total average weekly earnings

  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
Real TAWE (a) (b) – $ per week   
New South Wales 1 086.0 1 090.2 1 089.2 1 122.8 1 115.6
Victoria 1 027.6 1 037.6 1 048.6 1 063.7 1 060.6
Queensland 1 084.0 1 086.3 1 086.4 1 102.5 1 090.0
South Australia  957.8  966.5  989.9  999.2 1 062.9
Western Australia 1 162.9 1 189.7 1 262.2 1 308.9 1 305.3
Tasmania  875.7  905.9  928.8  959.9  937.6
Northern Territory 1 152.2 1 194.3 1 269.8 1 290.0 1 210.3
Australian Capital Territory 1 276.2 1 329.2 1 375.3 1 409.5 1 318.7
Australia 1 070.5 1 080.8 1 096.2 1 122.8 1 118.6
           
Annual change – per cent         
New South Wales 1.8 0.4 -0.1 3.1 -0.6
Victoria 5.3 1.0 1.1 1.4 -0.3
Queensland 3.5 0.2 0.0 1.5 -1.1
South Australia 0.8 0.9 2.4 0.9 6.4
Western Australia 2.9 2.3 6.1 3.7 -0.3
Tasmania 4.5 3.4 2.5 3.3 -2.3
Northern Territory 3.5 3.6 6.3 1.6 -6.2
Australian Capital Territory 5.1 4.2 3.5 2.5 -6.4
Australia 3.3 1.0 1.4 2.4 -0.4
           
(a) Annual average of bi-annual data.         
(b) Total average weekly earnings for all employees expressed in average 2013–14 dollars;
converted to real terms using the Consumer Price Index.
Sources: ABS, Average weekly earnings, cat. no. 6302.0, ABS, Canberra, May 2015. ABS,
Consumer price index, cat. no. 6401.0, ABS, Canberra, June 2015.

2.7 Wage price index

2.7 Wage price index

  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
Wage price index (a)     
New South Wales  103.2  107.0  110.9  114.3  117.1
Victoria  102.8  106.7  110.4  114.0  117.1
Queensland  103.3  107.3  111.3  114.7  117.7
South Australia  102.8  106.4  110.0  113.7  117.4
Western Australia  103.4  107.4  112.1  116.5  119.8
Tasmania  103.8  107.3  111.0  114.6  117.2
Northern Territory  103.4  107.5  111.5  115.2  118.3
Australian Capital Territory  103.5  107.2  110.7  114.9  117.6
Australia  103.1  107.0  110.9  114.6  117.6
           
Annual change – per cent          
New South Wales 3.2 3.7 3.6 3.1 2.4
Victoria 2.8 3.8 3.5 3.3 2.7
Queensland 3.3 3.9 3.7 3.1 2.6
South Australia 2.8 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.3
Western Australia 3.4 3.9 4.4 3.9 2.8
Tasmania 3.8 3.4 3.4 3.2 2.3
Northern Territory 3.4 4.0 3.7 3.3 2.7
Australian Capital Territory 3.5 3.6 3.3 3.8 2.3
Australia 3.1 3.8 3.6 3.3 2.6
           
(a) Total hourly rate of pay index excluding bonuses, all sectors. Base: 2008–09 = 100.0.

Source: ABS, Wage price index, cat. no. 6345.0, ABS, Canberra, June 2015. 

2.8 Consumer price index

2.8 Consumer price index

  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14

Consumer price index (a) 

     
Sydney  94.8  97.6  100.0  102.6  105.2
Melbourne  94.6  97.7  100.0  102.2  105.0
Brisbane  95.0  98.1  100.0  102.0  104.9
Adelaide  94.4  97.5  100.0  102.1  104.7
Perth  95.2  97.9  100.0  102.2  105.3
Hobart  95.0  97.8  100.0  101.2  103.7
Darwin  95.4  97.9  100.0  103.1  106.9
Canberra  95.0  97.6  100.0  101.9  104.2
Weighted average eight
capital cities
 94.8  97.7  100.0  102.3  105.0
           
Annual change – per cent (b)        
Sydney 2.3 3.0 2.5 2.5 2.6
Melbourne 2.1 3.3 2.3 2.2 2.8
Brisbane 2.7 3.3 1.9 2.0 2.8
Adelaide 2.2 3.2 2.6 2.0 2.6
Perth 2.5 2.8 2.2 2.3 3.0
Hobart 2.6 2.9 2.3 1.1 2.5
Darwin 3.1 2.7 2.1 3.1 3.7
Canberra 2.1 2.7 2.5 1.9 2.2
Weighted average eight capital cities 2.3 3.1 2.3 2.3 2.7
           
(a) Annual average of quarterly data; base year for CPI is 2011-12
(b) Change in the annual averages of table above.
Source: ABS, Consumer Price Index, Cat. no. 6401.0, June 2015

 

For copyright reasons some linked items are only available to members of Parliament.


© Commonwealth of Australia

Creative commons logo

Creative Commons

With the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, and to the extent that copyright subsists in a third party, this publication, its logo and front page design are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia licence.

In essence, you are free to copy and communicate this work in its current form for all non-commercial purposes, as long as you attribute the work to the author and abide by the other licence terms. The work cannot be adapted or modified in any way. Content from this publication should be attributed in the following way: Author(s), Title of publication, Series Name and No, Publisher, Date.

To the extent that copyright subsists in third party quotes it remains with the original owner and permission may be required to reuse the material.

Inquiries regarding the licence and any use of the publication are welcome to webmanager@aph.gov.au.

This work has been prepared to support the work of the Australian Parliament using information available at the time of production. The views expressed do not reflect an official position of the Parliamentary Library, nor do they constitute professional legal opinion.

Any concerns or complaints should be directed to the Parliamentary Librarian. Parliamentary Library staff are available to discuss the contents of publications with Senators and Members and their staff. To access this service, clients may contact the author or the Library‘s Central Entry Point for referral.