General Australian Wage Information

Each Industry in Australia will have determined the minimum conditions and wages payable to its workers, and these agreements are called Employment Awards

An important aspect of these Awards is that they cover the minimum rate of pay that can be made to an employee.

These Awards must be at least equal to any State minimum wage, and at least equal to the Federal minimum wage.

Wages in Australia are mainly paid either fortnightly or monthly, weekly payments are not very common.

As in the UK, wages are paid after deduction of Tax and National Insurance (called Medicare Levy in Australia).

The employer normally also has to pay an extra 9%, on top of your basic salary, into a super fund of your choice.

Employers can pay more than the 9% if they wish, but not less.

Casual employees are normally paid at a higher rate than permanent employees to compensate for the loss of holiday entitlements etc. This extra rate is set down in the State award rates.

Average Wages February 2010

Figures released on 20th March 2010 show the February 2010 average wages as follows:

Trend Estimates (before the addition of the 9% Super)

• Full-time adult ordinary time earnings $1,243.10 pw ($64.641 pa)
• Full-time adult total earnings $1,290.70 pw ($67.116 pa)
• Male Full Time Total Earnings $1,396.50 pw ($72,618 pa)
• Female Full Time Total Earnings $1,106.20 pw ($57,522 pa)

Trend Estimates

Full-time adult ordinary time earnings rose by 6.4% for males and 4.6% for females in the twelve months to February 2010.

In the twelve months to February 2010, full-time adult total earnings rose by 5.9% for males and 4.5% for females.

See... Seasonally adjusted wages

Casual Employees in Australia

Many workers in Australia are employed on a casual basis, whereby the employer has more control over the number of hours that the employee undertakes. There are special rules for casual employees, and one of them is the rate of pay, an example of which is this Western Australian rule:

Part time employees receive a rate of pay that is calculated by dividing the minimum weekly rate by 38. Casual employees receive a casual loading of 20 percent.
www.commerce.wa.gov.au

From the latest Federal regulations coming into force between Jan 2010 and Jan 2011, the wording is:

A casual employee is generally guaranteed either the casual loading from their pay scale or default casual loading of 20 per cent.
www.fairwork.gov.au

Superannuation

The employer has to pay an extra 9%, of a persons wage, into a compulsory Superannuation scheme of the employees choice, as long as they earn more than $450 per month.

On a wage of about $50,000 per year, this can be effectively increased by $4,500, although this extra money is tied up until the relevant retiring date.

When quoting Salaries, some employers may quote a Salary Package of $54,500, meaning $50,000 + super, whilst another may quote; $50,000 Salary, which would then have the 9% super in addition, therefore totalling $54,500.

Ensure that you compare apples with apples, and that you know if the super has been included in the figure or not.

I would prefer them to always say "Salary package of $xx + Super" That way, if the government increases it further from 9%, then there would be no
questioning that they would have to pay the extra, instead of reducing the salary to accommodate the extra cost.

Minimum Wage in Australia

• The Australian Fair Pay Commission is an independent body responsible for adjusting federal minimum wages.
  
  • http://www.fwa.gov.au
• As at 1st July 2010, the Federal Minimum Wage was increased to $15.00 per hour, or $569.90 per week
• As at 1 October 2009, the Federal Minimum Wage was held at $14.31 per hour, or $543.78 per week
• As at 1 October 2008, the Federal Minimum Wage will increase to $14.31 per hour, or $543.78 per week
• www.fwa.gov.au/....2009wagereview
• As at Oct 2007 the Federal Minimum Wage was $13.74 per hour. or $522.12 per week.
• Each State also has its own Minimum Wage level and Conditions
• The Federal Minimum wage is the MINIMUM for the whole of Australia and wages cannot be set lower, in any of the individual States.
• The compulsory Superannuation contributions, currently 9%, are payable by the employer are on top of that minimum wage payment.

Queensland Minimum Wage

As of 1 September 2009, the Queensland minimum weekly rate for full time employees increased from $552 to $568.20. With the 9% Employer paid superannuation being in addition to that figure. Effectively costing the employer $619.33 pw.

As from1 January 2010 all Queensland employers and employees, with the exception of state and local government, are covered by the national industrial relations system administered by the Commonwealth Government.

The Office of Fair and Safe Work Queensland, including Wageline, no longer provides information on industrial relations issues to private sector employers and employees.

• ww.justice.qld.gov.au

Links

Nurses (Queensland Health) Certified Agreement on Pay Rates:


• http://www.health.qld.gov.au/hrpolicies/wage_rates/nursing.asp

Regional Wage and Salary Earner Statistics, Australia - 2004-05


• www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/.../2004-05

State Award Web Sites

Two government websites showing some of the most common Awards throughout each State in Australia are:

• www.workplaceauthority.gov.au/rates-of-pay/most-searched-for-awards.asp
• www.workplaceauthority.gov.au/rates-of-pay/find-pay-scale.asp

List of each States Government website that would deal with Employment Awards

• Queensland State Government State Awards Index
  • http://www.wageline.qld.gov.au/awardsacts/awards_sums_index.html
• QLD Minimum Pay rate: 2009/10 = $568.20 per week for full-time adult employees.
  
  • http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/industrial/rights/conditions/minpay/index.htm
• New South Wales State Government State Awards Index
• http://www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au/awards
• West Australia State Government State Awards Index
• http://www.wairc.wa.gov.au
• South Australia State Government State Awards Index
• http://www.eric.sa.gov.au/show_page.jsp?id=2598
• Tasmania State Government State Awards Index
• http://www.pat.tas.gov.au/industrial/default.html
• Victoria State Government State Awards Index
• http://www.vic.gov.au/employment-workplace.html
• Federal Wage Awards Index provided by the Australian Commonwealth Government
• http://www.wagenet.gov.au/WageNet/HomePage/HomePage.asp

Salary Surveys

• The PeopleBank (Ambit) Salary Index encompasses the IT&T;, Engineering, Executive and Sales & Marketing industries and is compiled by recruitment specialists based in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney; drawing upon job offers and employment activity data in each individual city.
• http://www.peoplebank.com.au/client_centre/what_salary.html
• The Hays Salary Survey is compiled from information collected from over 100 branches in our network throughout Australia and New Zealand.
• http://www.hays.com.au/salary/default.aspx
• Ambit Engineering's Quarterly National Salary Index Survey
• http://www.ambitengineering.com.au/salaryindex

Some Example Actual Wages

• August 2008
  • ALDI Supermarket vacancies
    • Area Manager $79,600 (inc Super) = $73,000 + super
    • Assistant Store Manager $49,450 to $65,000
    • Retail Assistant Permanent Part Time $19.40 per hour
    • Limited Roster Retail Assistant Permanent Part Time $18.45 per hour
  • Local Council Vacancy S.E. QLD
    • Budget & Management Reporting Officer $53,030 to $56,820 + up to 12% super
  • Budget & Management Reporting Officer
    Brisbane | Redland City Council. | $53,030 to $56,820 + up to 12% super
  • Psychologist (Dementia Care Program)
    Brisbane | QLD Health | $48,216 - $70,870 FTE (Full Time Equivalent)
  • Visiting Medical Specialist.
    Paediatric Services, Brisbane Southside Health Service District.
    Remuneration rates: $146.54 - $160.31 p.h., plus employer contribution to superannuation (up to 12.75%),

Income Tax Comparison between UK and Australia

20% £6,475-£43,915
40% £43,915-£100,000

20% £0-£37,440
40% £37,440-£150,000
50% over £150,000

15% $6,001 to $37,000
30% $37,001 to $80,000
37% $80,001 to $180,000
45% Over $180,000

• Based on 0.8 Times each countries average wage at April 2008, using 2008/09 Tax Rates
  
  • UK
    £20,000.00 Gross Pay
    £ 4,395.15 Total Deductions = 21.98% of gross
    £21,864.32 Total Employer Cost = 109.32% of gross
    
  • AUS
    $50,000.00 Gross Pay
    $ 9,750.00 Total Deductions = 19.50% of gross
    $54,500.00 Total Employer Cost = 109.00% of gross
    
  
  
• Based on 1.6 Times each countries average wage at April 2008, using 2008/09 Tax Rates
  
  • UK
    £40,000.00 Gross Pay
    £10,595.15 Total Deductions = 26.49% of gross
    £44,424.32 Total Employer Cost = 111.06% of gross
    
  • AUS
    $100,000.00 Gross Pay
    $ 27,500.00 Total Deductions = 27.50% of gross
    $109,000.00 Total Employer Cost = 109.00% of gross
    
  
  
• Based on 3.2 Times each countries average wage at April 2008, using 2008/09 Tax Rates
  
  • UK
    £80,000.00 Gross Pay
    £26,832.15 Total Deductions = 33.54% of gross
    £89,544.32 Total Employer Cost = 111.93% of gross
    
  • AUS
    $200,000.00 Gross Pay
    $ 70,000.00 Total Deductions = 35.00% of gross
    $218,000.00 Total Employer Cost = 109.00% of gross
    

Note: The employer cost includes:

• Aus: Gross Wage + compulsory contributions made by employer into Individual employee Super/Pension schemes.
  
• UK: Gross Wage + the extra NHI contributions made by the employer towards State pension etc.
  

Average Wages November 2009

Figures released on 25th February 2010 show the November 2009 average wages as follows:

Trend Estimates (before the addition of the 9% Super)

• Full-time adult ordinary time earnings $1,223.30 pw ($63,611 pa)
• Full-time adult total earnings $1,270.60 pw ($66,071 pa)
• Male Full Time Total Earnings $1,378.00 pw ($71,656 pa)
• Female Full Time Total Earnings $1,096.00 pw ($56,992 pa)

Trend Estimates

Full-time adult ordinary time earnings rose by 6.1% for males and 4.6% for females in the twelve months to November 2009.

In the twelve months to November 2009, full-time adult total earnings rose by 5.5% for males and 4.3% for females.

Average Wages August 2009

Figures released on 19th November 2009 show the August 2009 average wages as follows:

Trend Estimates (before the addition of the 9% Super)

• Full-time adult ordinary time earnings $1,200.60 pw ($62,431 pa)
• Full-time adult total earnings $1,248.20 pw ($64,906 pa)
• Male Full Time Total Earnings $1,349.90 pw (70,195 pa)
• Female Full Time Total Earnings $1,074.80 pw ($55,890 pa)

Full-time adult total earnings rose by 5.2% for males and 4.2% for females, in the twelve months to August 2009

Calculation of Median Wages for August 2009

• $42,158 all employees, Full time or Part time, 15 years of age or over.
  
• $21,276 Age 15-24 All workers
  
• $45,907 Age 25-34 All workers
  
• $48,984 Age 35-44 All workers
  
• $49,789 Age 45-54 All workers
  
• $44,366 Age 55+ All workers
  Source: www.abcdiamond.com/australia/australian-median-wage

Average Wages May 2009

Figures released on 13th August 2009 show the May 2009 average wages as follows:

Trend Estimates (before the addition of the 9% Super)

• Full-time adult ordinary time earnings $1,197.50 pw
  
• Full-time adult total earnings $1,243.50 pw ($64,662 pa)
• Male Full Time Total Earnings $1,346.10 pw (69,997 pa)
  
• Female Full Time Total Earnings $1,074.80 pw ($55,890 pa)
  

Calculated Median wages for May 2009

Australian Median wage for all employees, Full time or Part time

• $40,775 All employees 15 years of age or over.
  
• $20,577 Age 15-24 All workers
  
• $44,401 Age 25-34 All workers
  
• $47,376 Age 35-44 All workers
  
• $48,156 Age 45-54 All workers
  
• $42,911 Age 55+ All workers
  
  

Full Time Median wage for May 2009

Male median wage, for all FULL TIME employees,

$59,532 All Males, full time only, 15 years of age or over.
$30,044 Age 15-24 Male full time only
$64,827 Age 25-34 Male full time only
$69,171 Age 35-44 Male full time only
$70,309 Age 45-54 Male full time only
$62,651 Age 55+ Male full time only

Average Wages February 2009

Figures released on 21st May 2009 show the February 2009 average wages as follows:
Trend Estimates (before the addition of the 9% Super)

• Full-time adult ordinary time earnings $1,183.10 pw (5.9% rise in last 12 months)
  
• Full-time adult total earnings $1,230.50 pw ($63,986 pa) (5.3% rise in last 12 months)
  
• Male Full Time Total Earnings $1,328.10 pw (69,061 pa)
  
• Female Full Time Total Earnings $1,063.80 pw ($55,317 pa)
  
Full-time adult total earnings rose by 5.7% for males and 5.1% for females, in the twelve months to February 2009

Average Wages November 2008

Figures released on 27th Feb 2009 show the November 2008 average wages as follows:
Trend Estimates (before the addition of the 9% Super)

• Full-time adult ordinary time earnings $1,164.90 pw (5.2% rise in last 12 months)
  
• Full-time adult total earnings $1,214.50 pw ($63,154 pa) (5.0% rise in last 12 months)
  
• Male Full Time Total Earnings $1,313.60 pw (68,307 pa)
  
• Female Full Time Total Earnings $1,049.30 pw ($54,563 pa)
  
Full-time adult total earnings rose by 5.7% for males and 4.6% for females, in the twelve months to November 2008

May 2008 Average Weekly Earning Comparisons

Australian Average Income = $1,183.10 pw (+9% Super) at May 2008

Source: www.abs.gov.au




UK Full Time Median wage £489 pw at April 2009

These median earnings, from the 2009 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, were broken down as follows:


• Full-time Male £531 per week
• Full-time Female £426 per week
• Full-time London £627 per week
• Full-time North East £436 per week
• Full-time South East £514 per week

UK Median wage £479 pw at April 2008

These median earnings were broken down as follows


• Full-time Male £521 per week
• Full-time Female £412 per week

Source: www.statistics.gov.uk


More information at: Australian Wage Statistics