Australia’s wage price index rose 0.8% qoq in Q3, matching expectations and holding the same pace as Q2. The headline stability masks a mild divergence across sectors: private-sector wages increased 0.7% qoq while public-sector wages climbed 0.9% qoq, continuing their recent outperformance.
On an annual basis, wage growth came in at 3.4% yoy, unchanged from Q2. Public-sector pay rose 3.8% yoy, edging up from last year’s 3.7%. Private-sector wage growth slowed to 3.2% yoy from 3.5% in September 2024. This marks the third consecutive quarter in which public wages have grown faster than their private counterparts.
