1360.0 - Measuring Australia's Economy, 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 03/02/2003   
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Contents >> Section 6. Prices and Income >> Average Weekly Earnings

In May 2002, trend average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adult employees was $868.50. The figure for males was $920.30 and the figure for females was $778.30. During the period May 2001 to May 2002, male full-time adult average ordinary time earnings increased by 5.4%, while the corresponding estimate for females increased by 5.3%. Both series have increased steadily throughout most of the last ten years.




AVERAGE WEEKLY ORDINARY TIME EARNINGS,
Full-time adults, Australia: Trend Estimates
Period
Males

$
Females

$
Persons

$
ANNUAL AVERAGE(a)
1996–97
731.9
612.0
688.7
1997–98
763.7
637.2
716.8
1998–99
789.0
663.2
742.7
1999–2000
817.1
687.4
769.1
2000–01
857.3
723.8
808.6
2001–02
903.7
764.5
853.4
QUARTERLY
2000-01
February
860.9
728.2
812.5
May
873.0
738.8
824.1
2001-02
August
886.5
750.0
837.3
November
898.5
760.2
848.9
February
909.5
769.5
859.0
May
920.3
778.3
868.5
(a) Derived as annual average of average weekly earnings in the specified pay period in each quarter.

Source: Average Weekly Earnings, Australia (6302.0).


Explanatory Notes

The ABS collects information from approximately 5,000 employers every quarter to estimate average weekly earnings of employees. Employers are asked to provide details of the total gross weekly earnings paid to employees (including weekly overtime earnings) and the number of employees in the organisation (split into full-time adults and all other employees, and into males and females).

Average weekly earnings can change when wages change as a result of National Wage Case outcomes, enterprise bargaining agreements between employers and employees, and other pay setting outcomes.

Movements in average weekly earnings can be affected by both changes in the level of earnings per employee and changes in the composition of the labour force. For example, changes in the proportions of full-time, part-time, casual and junior employees and variations in the distribution of occupations can affect movements in earnings series.


Further Reading

Average Weekly Earnings, Australia 1941-1990 (6350.0)
Contains an historical series of average weekly earnings for all males for Australia from September quarter 1941 to November 1990, as well as average weekly earnings estimates for all employees from August 1981, classified into a number of categories.

Average Weekly Earnings, Australia (6302.0)
Contains quarterly estimates of average weekly ordinary time earnings and average weekly total earnings, for both full-time adult employees and all employees, classified by Sex, Sector and State and Territory.

Wage Cost Index, Australia (6345.0)
Contains indexes measuring changes in wage and salary costs for employee jobs.



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