Australia Q4 Wage Growth Edges Higher

Australia’s seasonally adjusted Wage Price Index rose 3.4% year-on-year in Q4 2025, slightly accelerating from a marginally revised 3.3% increase in the previous quarter. The uptick was driven by steady gains across both sectors, with private-sector wages rising 3.4% (vs. 3.3% in Q3) and public-sector pay increasing 4.0% (vs. 3.9%). Quarterly, wages grew 0.8%, unchanged from the prior period and in line with market expectations. In original terms, information, media and telecommunications posted the strongest quarterly wage growth at 1.2%. In contrast, administrative and support services and accommodation and food services recorded the weakest quarterly increases, both at 0.3%. On an annual basis, health care and social assistance led all industries with a 4.4% rise, while financial and insurance services saw the slowest through-the-year growth at 2.7%.

Australia’s seasonally adjusted Wage Price Index rose by 3.4% year-on-year in Q3 2025, unchanged from the previous quarter and in line with market expectations. Public sector wages increased by 3.8%, slightly above the 3.7% rise in Q2, while private sector wages grew by 3.2%, easing from 3.4% previously. In original terms, the electricity, gas, water & waste services industry and public administration recorded the strongest annual wage gains at 4.3% each. They were followed by healthcare and social assistance (3.8%), mining (3.6%), education and training (3.6%), construction (3.4%), rental, hiring, and real estate services (3.3%), and professional, scientific & technical services (3.3%). Healthcare and social assistance roles were the main contributors to quarterly wage growth. On a quarterly basis, overall wage prices rose by 0.8%, matching the previous quarter and aligning with market forecasts.

Australia's seasonally adjusted Wage Price Index rose by 3.4% yoy in Q2 2025, matching the previous quarter's pace and exceeding expectations of a 3.3% increase. An acceleration in both the public and private sectors drove the stronger-than-expected growth. Public sector wages surged by 4.7%, up from 3.6% in Q1, while private sector wages rose by 3.4%, compared to 3.3% previously. This marks a rebound for the private sector, which had recorded its weakest growth since Q2 2022 in the prior two quarters. In original terms, the electricity, gas, water, and waste services industry recorded the highest annual wage increase at 5.0%, followed by information media & telecommunications and healthcare & social assistance, which both rose by 3.9%. The main contributors to the quarterly wage growth were roles in professional, scientific, and technical services. On a quarterly basis, wage prices increased by 0.8%, down from a 0.9% gain in the previous quarter and in line with market forecasts.