AUSTRALIA


Table 2 below presents the trend estimates of the key Average Weekly Earnings, Australia series. Trend estimates are obtained by removing calendar related effects and irregular components from the data. They are considered a reliable guide to the underlying direction of the series.

Full-Time Adult Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings between May 2014 and May 2015 has risen by 2.0% to $1484.50, in trend terms. This is the lowest annual increase since the change to a biannual frequency in November 2012.

Table 2: Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, Trend(a), May 2015
		May 2015	May 2014 to May 2015
		$	% change
Males
	Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings	1 593.60	2.1
	Full-time adult average weekly total earnings	1 680.00	1.8
	All employees average weekly total earnings	1 370.30	0.5
Females
	Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings	1 308.80	2.5
	Full-time adult average weekly total earnings	1 327.10	2.5
	All employees average weekly total earnings	906.70	2.9
Persons
	Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings	1 484.50	2.0
	Full-time adult average weekly total earnings	1 545.60	1.8
	All employees average weekly total earnings	1 136.60	1.3
(a) For further information regarding Trend estimates, please refer to paragraphs 62 to 68 of the Explanatory Notes.

Original series data presented below has not been adjusted to remove the effects of either seasonal or irregular influences. Compared with May 2014, Full-Time Adult Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings has risen by 2.0% to $1483.10, in original terms.

Table 3: Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, Original, May 2015
		May 2015	May 2014 to May 2015
		$	% change
Males
	Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings	1 591.60	2.0
	Full-time adult average weekly total earnings	1 674.80	1.6
	All employees average weekly total earnings	1 369.50	0.4
Females
	Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings	1 307.40	2.6
	Full-time adult average weekly total earnings	1 325.50	2.6
	All employees average weekly total earnings	907.80	3.0
Persons
	Full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings	1 483.10	2.0
	Full-time adult average weekly total earnings	1 541.50	1.7
	All employees average weekly total earnings	1 136.90	1.2

It is important to note that while Average Weekly Earnings data can be used to compare, at the very broad level, average earnings between males and females, such comparisons do not take into account a range of compositional differences. For example, differences in occupation or hours worked which contribute significantly to the differences observed between male and female earnings. Details of occupation and hours worked are not collected in the Average Weekly Earnings survey.

For further comparisons between male and female wages, including hourly rates, median earnings, and by occupation, refer to Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0).

For further earnings information related to industry, including a breakdown by sex, please refer to the time series spreadsheets in the downloads tab at the top of the page.