MARCH KEY FIGURES

			Dec Qtr 2010 to Mar Qtr 2011	Mar Qtr 2010 to Mar Qtr 2011
			% change	% change
Wage Price Index (WPI) Total hourly rates of pay excluding bonuses Trend(a)
	Australia		(b)1.0	4.0
	Sector
		Private	0.9	4.0
		Public	0.8	3.7
Original
	Australia		(b)0.9	3.9
	Sector
		Private	0.8	4.0
		Public	0.8	3.6
(a) See Explanatory notes paragraphs 46-47, 50.
(b) See Explanatory notes paragraph 33.

WPI - Quarterly changes: Trend(a), Total hourly rates of pay excluding bonuses

WPI - Annual change: original, Total hourly rates of pay excluding bonuses - States/Territories, by sector, Mar Qtr 2011

MARCH KEY POINTS


TOTAL HOURLY RATES OF PAY EXCLUDING BONUSES

QUARTERLY CHANGE (DEC QTR 2010 TO MAR QTR 2011)

• The index for all employee jobs in Australia increased by 1.0%, in trend terms.
• The increase in indexes (in original terms) at the industry level ranged from 0.4% for Administrative and support services to 1.6% for Education and training.

ANNUAL CHANGE (MAR QTR 2010 TO MAR QTR 2011)

• The increase in the trend index through the year to March quarter 2011 for all employee jobs in Australia was 4.0%.
• Increases in the original indexes though the year to the March quarter 2011 at the industry level ranged from 3.1% for Rental, hiring and real estate services, Arts and recreation services and Other services to 4.6% for Mining and Professional, scientific and technical services.

NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE (QUARTER)	Release Date
June 2011	17 August 2011
September 2011	16 November 2011
December 2011	22 February 2012
March 2012	16 May 2012

IMPACT OF THE FLOODS AND CYCLONE YASI

Extensive flooding began in late December 2010 in Queensland, and intensified in both Queensland and other states in January 2011. In early February 2011, Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi crossed the North Queensland coast. Gale force winds, flooding rain and storm surges caused significant damage to areas in the storm's path.

The collection and processing of the labour price index data included in this publication were not disrupted by the floods and cyclone.


ABS DATA AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

Original indexes are compiled for various combinations of state/territory, sector and broad industry group. Indexes not included in this publication may be made available on request by telephoning Kathryn Parlor in Perth on (08) 9360 5151 or email labour.price.index@abs.gov.au.


DATA REFERENCES

Data referenced in the Key Points and Commentary are available from the tables shown in this publication or in the corresponding tables of this publication on the ABS website <https://www.abs.gov.au>.


INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Kathryn Parlor on Perth (08) 9360 5151.