6345.0 - Wage Price Index, Australia, Dec 2015 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/02/2016   
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MEDIA RELEASE
16/2016
24 February 2016
Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
2015 ends with lowest wage growth on record

The seasonally adjusted Wage Price Index (WPI) rose 0.5 per cent in the December quarter 2015 and 2.2 per cent over the last year, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Wage growth through the year is now the lowest on record since the series was first published in September quarter 1998.

In the December quarter 2015, Private sector wages grew 0.5 per cent for the fourth consecutive quarter. Public sector wages also grew 0.5 per cent (seasonally adjusted) in the current quarter.

Over the last year, Private sector wages grew at a slower pace than the Public sector, 2.0 per cent compared to 2.6 per cent (seasonally adjusted).

In Mining, Electricity, gas, water and waste services, Construction and Administrative and support services wages grew over the last year at the lowest rate since the commencement of the series.

Further information is available in Wage Price Index, Australia (cat. no. 6345.0).

Media note:

  • Please ensure when reporting on ABS data that you attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
  • Media requests and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070 (8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri).