5204.0.55.011 - Australian National Accounts: Distribution of Household Income, Consumption and Wealth, 2003-04 to 2014-15  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 26/11/2015   
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MEDIA RELEASE
26 November 2015
Embargo: 11:30 am (Canberra Time)
129/2015
Latest snapshot of household income, consumption and wealth

In 2014-15, Australian households experienced vast disparities in wages, salaries and superannuation benefits, according to statistics released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Australian National Accounts: Distribution of Household Income, Consumption and Wealth shows that households in the lowest income quintile spent about 67 per cent of their income on housing, food and transport. Households in the highest income quintile consumed 24 per cent of their income on these expenditures.

However, the results indicate that distributional policies of government, including social assistance benefits and income taxes, lessen inequalities in income.

Internationally, the ABS is among only a few national statistical offices that have produced time series analysis of household income, consumption and wealth that considers factors such as age, main source of income and household characteristics within the national accounts.

The study shows that Australians have seen their wages and salaries increase 89 per cent between 2003-04 and 2014-15, with the highest income quintile contributing 42 per cent or nearly half of the total growth in wages and salaries.

Further information is available in Australian National Accounts: Distribution of Household Income, Consumption and Wealth (cat. no. 5204.0.55.011), available for free download from https://www.abs.gov.au.

Media Note:

  • When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
  • Media requests and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070.