6261.0.55.001 - Characteristics of Wage and Salary Earners in Regions of Australia, 2000-01  
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INTRODUCTION

Very Remote Australia is defined in the remoteness structure as those areas where geographic distance imposes the highest restriction upon accessibility to the widest range of goods, services and opportunities for social interaction. Parts of Australia classified to Very Remote include the far west parts of New South Wales and Queensland, northern South Australia and Western Australia, most of the Northern Territory and Flinders and King Islands in Bass Strait (Tasmania). No part of Victoria is classified as Very Remote. Further details regarding all Remoteness Structure areas, including a map, are provided in the accompanying APPENDIX - REMOTENESS STRUCTURE

The following main features describe the major differences in the characteristics of wage and salary earners in Very Remote Australia compared with Australia as a whole and should be read in conjunction with the EXPLANATORY NOTES and GLOSSARY Links to main features for other Remoteness Structure areas are situated on the Main Features - Australia page, which also highlights comparisons between each remoteness class. Detailed tables for each state and territory, by remoteness class, can be accessed through the data cubes.

It should be noted that in the statistics presented below Indigenous persons engaged in Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) may be included in the data for the years 1995-96 to 1997-98 but excluded for 1998-99 onwards. The general effect of this is that the number of wage and salary earners may be overstated and median wage and salary income understated for the first three years of this series. The effect on the total amount of wages and salaries paid is not significant. It is possible that these changes in the reporting of CDEP participants may affect Very Remote more than any other remoteness region, therefore, analysis of changes between these particular groups of years for the number of wage and salary earners and median wage and salary incomes need to be treated with caution. For further details please refer to the EXPLANATORY NOTES , paragraphs 33 to 37.


MAIN FEATURES - VERY REMOTE AUSTRALIA

For the financial year 2000-01, approximately 50,200 wage and salary earners were located in Very Remote areas of Australia. This represents a decrease of 1.8% on the number of wage and salary earners in 1999-2000 continuing the downward trend over the last few years. In 2000-01, 0.7% of all wage and salary earners in Australia were located in Very Remote areas. This compares with 0.9% of the estimated resident population aged between 15 and 64 years, the primary years when people are in the labour force.

Total wage and salary income paid to Australia's wage and salary earners in Very Remote areas was $1.7 billion in 2000-01. This was $45.0m (2.7%) more than in 1999-2000.

For the financial year 2000-01, the median individual annual wage and salary income for wage and salary earners in Very Remote areas was $29,137. This was an increase of 4.4% over the previous year ($27,904) and higher than the annual increase of 3.3% for all employees in Australia. In 2000-01, the median annual wage and salary income in Very Remote areas was $1,333 (4.4%) lower than the median for Australia.

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS, Very Remote, 1995-96 to 2000-01
% Change
1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
1999-00 to 2000-01
1995-96 to 2000-01(a)
Wage and salary earners (no.)
62,564
62,057
61,848
53,204
51,171
50,232
-1.8
-4.3
Wage and salary income ($m)
1,653
1,701
1,753
1,672
1,643
1,688
2.7
0.4
Median annual wage and salary income ($)
22,369
22,950
23,754
27,495
27,904
29,137
4.4
5.4
Australian median annual wage and salary income ($)
26,309
26,919
27,775
28,705
29,509
30,470
3.3
3.2
Note: Indigenous persons engaged in CDEP projects may be included in the above data for the years 1995-96 to 1997-98 and excluded for 1998-99 onwards. Consequently changes between 1997-98 and 1998-99 and 1995-96 and 2000-01 in particular need to be treated with caution. For further details please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.

MEDIAN ANNUAL WAGE AND SALARY INCOME,
Very Remote and Australia, 1995-96 to 2000-01

Graph: Median Annual Wage and Salary Income, Very Remote and Australia, 1995-96 to 2000-01

Note: Indigenous persons engaged in CDEP projects may be included in the above data for the years 1995-96 to 1997-98 and excluded for 1998-99 onwards. Consequently changes between 1997-98 and 1998-99 and 1995-96 and 2000-01 in particular need to be treated with caution. For further details please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.


SEX DISTRIBUTION

In 2000-01, there were around 27,700 (55.1%) male and 22,600 (44.9%) female wage and salary earners in Very Remote areas. These proportions are similar to those for total Australia (54.8% male and 45.2% female). The median annual wage and salary income for males was $35,879 while for females it was $23,229, compared with national median wage and salary incomes of $36,403 for males and $25,091 for females. While the median for males in Very Remote areas was slightly lower than for Australia as a whole, the median for females was significantly less than the national figure.

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS, By Sex, Very Remote, 2000-01
Males
Females
Persons
Wage and salary earners (no.)
27,686
22,568
50,254
Median annual wage and salary income ($)
35,879
23,229
29,137
Australian median annual wage and salary income ($)
36,403
25,091
30,470
Note: Due to the randomisation process applied to small cells for confidentiality purposes, totals for each characteristic and geographic area may differ from table to table. For further information please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.


AGE DISTRIBUTION

The 25-34 year age group accounted for the greatest proportion (27.7%) of wage and salary earners in Very Remote areas in 2000-01 while the 35-44 year age group contained 26.7%. Both of these age groups contained proportionally more wage and salary earners than for all of Australia.

The annual median wage and salary income was lower in Very Remote areas than the Australian figure for all age groups in 2000-01, except for wage and salary earners aged 15-24 years. For this age group the median ($17,307) was the highest of all remoteness areas. It is likely that persons in Very Remote areas aged 15-24 are more likely to be working full-time rather than undertaking study and working part-time (which would have the effect of lowering the median).

Within Very Remote areas, the annual median wage and salary income was lowest in the 15-24 year age group and then increased with age, reaching a peak in the 45-54 year age group ($34,026). This pattern is evident across all remoteness areas.

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS, By Age Group, Very Remote, 2000-01
15 - 24
years
25 - 34
years
35 - 44
years
45 - 54
years
55 years
and over
Total
WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS
Very remote (no.)
8,779
13,931
13,400
9,966
4,182
50,258
Very remote (%)
17.5
27.7
26.7
19.8
8.3
100.0
Australia (%)
19.3
25.9
24.6
20.9
9.4
100.0
MEDIAN WAGE AND SALARY INCOME ($)
Very remote
17,307
30,687
33,577
34,026
30,270
29,133
Australia
15,815
33,320
35,632
36,193
31,835
30,470
Note: Due to the randomisation process applied to small cells for confidentiality purposes, totals for each characteristic and geographic area may differ from table to table. For further information please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.

MEDIAN ANNUAL WAGE AND SALARY INCOME BY AGE GROUP,
Very Remote and Australia, 2000-01

Graph: Median Annual Wage and Salary Income by Age Group, Very Remote and Australia, 2000-01

Source: ATO Income Tax Data.


OCCUPATION DISTRIBUTION

The distribution of wage and salary earners across the occupation groups shows some variation between Very Remote areas and all of Australia. The occupation groups Labourers and related workers (18.8%) and Tradespersons (12.1%) had the largest proportions of wage and salary earners within Very Remote areas with the proportions being greater than for the same groups at the Australia level. This difference may be attributable to employment in the agricultural and mining industries that require unskilled and semi-skilled labour.

The occupation groups Clerks (11.5%), Professionals (10.6%), Salespersons and personal service workers (10.1%) and Managers and administrators (9.2%) were the only groups that had lower proportions of employees than at the Australia level. (Note: Wage and salary earners whose occupation was not stated accounted for 13.1% of all wage and salary earners in Very Remote areas and 20.1% for Australia overall).

The occupation group Plant and machine operators and drivers had the highest median annual wage and salary income ($46,708) in Very Remote areas reflecting the usage of complex machinery in the mining industry as well as the extra payments made to attract skilled workers to these remote regions. Salespersons and personal service workers had the lowest median employee income with $20,162. The occupation groups Plant and machine operators and drivers, Para-professionals ($41,680) and Tradespersons ($34,832) had higher medians in Very Remote areas than for Australia overall. Although Professionals had the second highest annual median wage and salary income ($44,304) in Very Remote areas, this was still below the figure for Australia overall for this occupation group.

Managers and administrators ($34,150) had a median wage and salary income over $7,900 below the Australian figure in 2000-01.


WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS, By Occupation(a), Very Remote, 2000-01
Managers
and
admini-
strators
Profess-
ionals
Para-
profess-
ionals
Trades-
persons
Clerks
Sales-
persons
and personal
service
workers
Plant and
machine
operators
and
drivers
Labourers
and related workers
Not
stated
Total
WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS
Very remote (no.)
4,642
5,349
3,907
6,093
5,789
5,086
3,357
9,463
6,580
50,266
Very remote (%)
9.2
10.6
7.8
12.1
11.5
10.1
6.7
18.8
13.1
100.0
Australia (%)
9.5
13.5
5.8
10.2
12.4
12.2
4.4
11.9
20.1
100.0
MEDIAN WAGE AND SALARY INCOME ($)
Very remote
34,150
44,304
41,680
34,832
25,273
20,162
46,708
24,726
18,776
29,132
Australia
42,061
45,549
39,620
32,470
28,583
22,150
36,925
25,970
22,052
30,470
(a) Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, 1st Edition.
Note: Due to the randomisation process applied to small cells for confidentiality purposes, totals for each characteristic and geographic area may differ from table to table. For further information please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.

MEDIAN ANNUAL WAGE AND SALARY INCOME BY OCCUPATION(a),
Very Remote and Australia, 2000-01

Graph: Median Annual Wage and Salary Income by Occupation and Sex, Very Remote and Australia, 2000-01

(a) Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, 1st Edition.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.


The distribution of male and female wage and salary earners across the occupation groups shows substantial variation. Labourers and related workers (24.0%), and Tradespersons (19.0%) accounted for the largest proportion of male wage and salary earners in Very Remote areas in 2000-01. These occupation groups are common in the agriculture and mining sectors which are prevalent in Very Remote areas of Australia. In contrast, the largest proportion of females occurred in the Clerks (21.9%) and Sales and personal service workers (17.5%) groups.

The occupation group Clerks accounted for 3.0% of male wage and salary earners, while females were least represented in the Plant and machine operators and drivers group (1.0%).

In the occupation group Professionals, females had a higher proportion of wage and salary earners (13.3%) than males (8.5%). In contrast, male Managers and administrators accounted for 11.0% while females accounted for 7.0%. Proportionally, there were more female Managers and administrators in Very Remote than in any other region, while for males, the proportion was higher than any other region except Major Cities.

Apart from a slight increase in Very Remote areas there is an overall decline in the proportion of male Professionals as remoteness increases. This trend is quite different for females with the proportion of Professionals increasing with remoteness from Outer Regional to Very Remote areas. This may partly be due to more women being employed in industries such as Health and community services and Education (e.g. Health practitioners and School teachers).

Conversely, the proportion of male Para-professionals increases with remoteness from Outer Regional to Very Remote areas while for females the proportion declines from Inner Regional to Remote areas before increasing in Very Remote.

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS, Occupation(a) by Sex, Very Remote, 2000-01
Managers
and
admini-
strators
Profess-
ionals
Para-
profess-
ionals
Trades-
persons
Clerks
Sales-
persons
and personal
service
workers
Plant and
machine
operators
and
drivers
Labourers
and related workers
Not
stated
Total
Males (no.)
3,039
2,341
1,937
5,265
817
1,093
3,129
6,638
3,419
27,678
Females (no.)
1,574
3,001
1,979
832
4,942
3,952
233
2,834
3,210
22,557
Males (%)
11.0
8.5
7.0
19.0
3.0
3.9
11.3
24.0
12.4
100.0
Females (%)
7.0
13.3
8.8
3.7
21.9
17.5
1.0
12.6
14.2
100.0
Australia
Males (%)
11.9
13.3
4.6
16.9
4.3
7.7
7.3
15.4
18.7
100.0
Females (%)
6.7
13.9
7.1
2.5
21.7
17.4
1.0
8.0
21.8
100.0
(a) Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, 1st Edition.
Note: Due to the randomisation process applied to small cells for confidentiality purposes, totals for each characteristic and geographic area may differ from table to table. For further information please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Individual Income Tax Data.


PROPORTION OF WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS,
By Occupation(a) and Sex, Very Remote, 2000-01

Graph: Proportion of Wage and Salary Earners, by Occupation and Sex, Very Remote, 2000-01

(a) Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, 1st Edition.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.


The proportional distribution of wage and salary earners across the occupation groups shows variation within each age group. In every age group there were proportionally more Labourers and related workers than any other occupation group. The largest proportions were in the 25-34 year and 35-44 year age groups with 4.9% and 4.8% respectively.

Other age and occupation combinations that had substantial representation were Tradespersons aged 25-34 years (3.7%) and Professionals in the same age group (3.5%). (Note: Wage and salary earners whose occupation was not stated accounted for 13.1% of all wage and salary earners in Very Remote areas).

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS, Age by Occupation(a), Very Remote, 2000-01
15-24
years
25-34
years
35-44
years
45-54
years
55 years
and over
Total
%
%
%
%
%
%
no.
Managers and administrators
0.6
1.9
2.7
2.7
1.3
9.2
4,626
Professionals
1.0
3.5
3.0
2.3
0.8
10.6
5,336
Para-professionals
0.5
2.4
2.6
1.6
0.7
7.9
3,948
Tradespersons
2.6
3.7
3.0
1.9
0.9
12.1
6,079
Clerks
1.7
3.4
3.4
2.2
0.7
11.4
5,739
Salespersons and personal service workers
2.9
3.0
2.2
1.5
0.5
10.1
5,058
Plant and machine operators and drivers
0.4
1.7
2.2
1.6
0.7
6.7
3,366
Labourers and related workers
3.7
4.9
4.8
3.6
1.9
18.9
9,489
Not stated
4.2
3.2
2.6
2.2
1.0
13.2
6,618
Total
17.6
27.8
26.6
19.7
8.4
100.0
50,259
Total (no.)
8,821
13,960
13,360
9,914
4,204
50,259
(a) Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, 1st Edition.
Note: Due to the randomisation process applied to small cells for confidentiality purposes, totals for each characteristic and geographic area may differ from table to table. For further information please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.


The following table shows the distribution of wage and salary income by occupation group as a proportion of all employees. In 2000-01, 9.0% of all wage and salary earners in Very Remote areas were Labourers and related workers with an annual wage and salary income in the range $10,400 to less than $31,200.

The prevalence of mining activities in Very Remote areas contributes to the proportion of wage and salary earners with wage and salary income in excess of $52,000. Overall, 19.0% of employees in Very Remote areas had annual wages and salaries in excess of $52,000. Of all such employees, around 4% were Professionals, 3.3% were Tradespersons and another 2.8% were Plant and machine operators and drivers.

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS, Wage and Salary Income by Occupation(a), Very Remote, 2000-01
$1 to
less than
$10,400
$10,400 to
less than
$20,800
$20,800 to
less than
$31,200
$31,200 to
less than
$41,600
$41,600 to
less than
$52,000
$52,000
or more
Total
PROPORTION (%)
Managers and administrators
0.7
1.5
2.0
1.9
1.3
2.0
9.2
Professionals
0.6
1.3
1.3
1.6
2.0
3.8
10.6
Para-professionals
0.5
0.9
1.0
1.4
1.4
2.5
7.8
Tradespersons
1.0
1.9
2.5
2.1
1.4
3.3
12.1
Clerks
1.8
2.7
2.9
2.4
1.1
0.7
11.5
Salespersons and personal service workers
2.3
2.9
3.1
1.2
0.3
0.2
10.1
Plant and machine operators and drivers
0.2
0.6
0.8
1.2
1.0
2.8
6.7
Labourers and related workers
3.2
4.5
4.5
2.8
1.3
2.5
18.8
Not stated
4.1
3.1
2.3
1.5
0.9
1.2
13.1
Total
14.3
19.3
20.4
16.2
10.7
19.0
100.0
(a) Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, 1st Edition.
Note: Due to the randomisation process applied to small cells for confidentiality purposes, totals for each characteristic and geographic area may differ from table to table. For further information please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.