6261.0.55.001 - Characteristics of Wage and Salary Earners in Regions of Australia, 2000-01  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 09/03/2004   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All
  • Main Features

INTRODUCTION

This electronic release presents regional estimates of the characteristics of wage and salary earners for the year 2000-01 using the Remoteness Structure contained within the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC), Volume 1, 2001 (cat. no. 1216.0).

The data presented describes the major differences in the characteristics of employees living in urban, regional and remote parts of Australia and should provide regional analysts and service providers with insights about employment activity, shifts in broad level occupations and variations in wage and salary incomes across different age and occupation groups. The data also highlight comparisons of the differing earning levels of employees in the same occupations across regions which may add to the understanding of regional populations and economies. Overall, these data provide valuable and interesting information about the diversity of employees in different parts of the nation.

The estimates of the number of wage and salary earners and their characteristics, including age, sex, occupation and income, have been compiled from the Australian Taxation Office's (ATO) Individual Income Tax Return Database and are part of the Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) program to increase the range of regional data available to users of regional statistics, particularly through the use of administrative information from other government agencies. The ABS wishes to acknowledge the support the ATO has provided in compiling these statistics. All individual income tax statistics provided by the ATO have been in aggregated form only. No information about individual taxpayers has been released to the ABS.

The Remoteness Structure, used as the geographic framework for this study, has been designed to provide an alternative geographic classification for the dissemination of statistics which enables comparison across five broad regions of Australia that are based on remoteness or distance from services. The five remoteness areas are Major Cities of Australia, Inner Regional Australia, Outer Regional Australia, Remote Australia and Very Remote Australia. A brief description and example of each remoteness area is provided in the APPENDIX - REMOTENESS STRUCTURE. Further information is also available in Information Paper: ABS Views on Remoteness, 2001 (cat. no. 1244.0) and Information Paper: Outcomes of ABS Views on Remoteness Consultation, Australia, 2001 (cat. no. 1244.0.00.001).

Main features for Australia, comparing the characteristics of wage and salary earners between remoteness areas, are provided below and should be read in conjunction with the Explanatory Notes and Glossary. Links to main features for each remoteness area, which describe the major differences in the characteristics of wage and salary earners compared with Australia as a whole, are available through the links at the top of this page. Detailed tables for 2000-01 for each state and territory, by remoteness class, can be accessed through the data cubes, while similar tables for 1995-96 to 1999-00 are available from the ABS on request. A list of available tables is included in the data cubes link below. Requests for detailed tables for previous years can be made to the National Information Service on 1300 135 070, or Mark Nowosilskyj on (08) 8237 7358 or <email mark.now@abs.gov.au>.

The ABS welcomes any comments from readers regarding the usefulness, range and quality of the statistics presented in this publication. Any comments can be forwarded to: The Director, Rural and Regional Statistics National Centre, Australian Bureau of Statistics, GPO Box 2272, Adelaide SA 5001. Alternatively, email <claire.conroy@abs.gov.au> or phone (08) 8237 7368.

Further work is planned to refine and improve the quality of the statistics presented in this electronic release, including compiling similar data for subsequent years. Data for 2001-02 is expected to be available towards the end of 2004. The ABS is also committed to further increasing the availability of regional data by working closely with the ATO and other commonwealth and state government agencies, under the concept of a national statistical service, to identify and present other useful regional statistical indicators from their administrative data sources.


DEFINITION OF WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS

For the purposes of the statistics presented in this electronic publication, wage and salary earners have been defined as:

persons aged 15 years and over who have submitted an individual income tax return and for whom wage and salary income was the principal (or main source) of income for the financial year.

It should be noted that these data do not take account of whether wage and salary earners worked on a full-time or part-time basis, had overtime earnings or had multiple job holdings. Consequently, these factors may account for some of the differences when comparing average or median wage and salary incomes or other characteristics of wage and salary earners across regions. It should also be noted that the data exclude persons in their own business, such as farmers, who are not wage and salary earners. Further definitional details are contained in the Explanatory Notes.


SUMMARY POINTS

  • Between 1999-2000 and 2000-01 the number of wage and salary earners increased in both Major Cities and Inner Regional areas but decreased in Outer Regional, Remote and Very Remote areas. However, during this period all remoteness areas recorded positive growth in the level of total wages and salaries paid.
  • The median annual wage and salary income for employees in Major Cities is higher than the median for employees in the other remoteness areas. However, the medians for wage and salary earners in Remote and Very Remote Australia are higher than the medians for employees in Inner and Outer Regional areas.
  • As the degree of remoteness increases, the proportion of female wage and salary earners in each remoteness class generally decreases.
  • Median wage and salary incomes for males are consistently higher than those for females in all remoteness areas.
  • The proportion of wage and salary earners in the 45-54 year and 55 years and over age groups generally decreases as remoteness increases.
  • In all remoteness classes, median wage and salary income increases with age, peaking in the 45-54 year age group.
  • The proportion of wage and salary earners in the occupation groups Para-professionals, Tradespersons, Plant and machine operators and drivers, and Labourers and related workers generally increases as remoteness increases. Conversely, the proportion in occupation groups such as Salespersons and personal service workers, Professionals and Clerks decreases as remoteness increases.


MAIN FEATURES - AUSTRALIA

In 2000-01, almost 90% of Australia's wage and salary earners were located in Major Cities and Inner Regional areas, with 70.3% and 18.3% in these areas respectively. Outer Regional areas comprised 9.3% while 2.2% of wage and salary earners were residents in the combined Remote and Very Remote areas. In comparison, at 30 June 2001, it was estimated that 66.3% of Australia's total population were resident in Major Cities and 20.7% in Inner Regional areas. The total population was estimated to be 10.4% in Outer Regional and 2.6% in Remote and Very Remote areas combined. As would be expected these proportions broadly indicate the greater availability and centralisation of jobs in the major city areas.

Queensland was the least capital city centric of the five larger states with 56% of its wage and salary earners in Major Cities. In comparison, around three quarters, or 75%, of all employees in each of the other large states, i.e. New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, were resident in their Major Cities. At 30 June 2001, it was estimated that around 52% of Queensland's total population were resident in Major Cities while for NSW, SA and WA the estimate was around 71%. In Victoria, the proportion of all people resident in Major Cities was slightly higher at around 73%.

For the smaller states and territories, two-thirds of Tasmania's wage and salary earner population were resident in Inner Regional areas (Hobart and Launceston) while over one third (37.2%) of the Northern Territory's wage and salary earners were located in Remote (21.6%) and Very Remote (15.6%). The remaining NT wage and salary earner population, 62.8%, was classified as Outer Regional. At 30 June 2001, it was estimated that 46% of the NT's total population were resident in Remote and Very Remote areas. In Tasmania, 63.6% and 34.1% of the total population were residents in Inner Regional and Outer Regional areas respectively.

DISTRIBUTION OF WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS BY REMOTENESS AREA,
States and Territories, 2000-01


Major
Inner
Outer
Remote
Very
Total(a)
cities
regional
regional
remote
%
%
%
%
%
'000

New South Wales
76.0
17.5
5.7
0.4
0.1
2,534.8
Victoria
76.6
18.9
4.2
0.1
0.0
1,883.8
Queensland
56.0
22.5
17.8
2.5
1.2
1,373.9
South Australia
74.4
11.8
10.4
2.6
0.7
552.0
Western Australia
73.4
11.1
9.0
4.4
2.1
723.3
Tasmania
-
66.0
31.6
1.8
0.6
164.4
Northern Territory
-
-
62.8
21.6
15.6
73.5
Australian Capital Territory
99.7
0.3
-
-
-
146.4
Australia
70.3
18.3
9.3
1.5
0.7
7,439.8

(a) Excludes data that could not be allocated to a remoteness category.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.

Total wage and salary income paid to Australia's wage and salary earners was $259.6 billion in 2000-01, up from $247.9 billion in 2000-01 and $204.2 billion in 1995-96.

Between 1999-2000 and 2000-01 both Major Cities and Inner Regional areas recorded growth in the number of wage and salary earners with increases of 0.7% and 1.0% respectively. This contrasts with decreases in the number of wage and salary earners recorded in Outer Regional, down by 0.7%, Remote (-3.4%) and Very Remote (-1.8%).

Although Outer Regional, Remote and Very Remote recorded decreases in the number of wage and salary earners over the latest year, all remoteness areas recorded positive growth in the level of total wage and salary income paid. The growth in Major cities was greatest, in both percentage and absolute terms. Major Cities recorded a 5.0% increase between 1999-2000 and 2000-01 and an average annual rate of increase of 5.2% over the five year period from 1995-96 to 2000-01. In 2000-01, Very Remote areas recorded an increase in total wages and salaries paid of 2.7% over the previous year and an average annual rate of 0.4% between 1995-96 and 2000-01. These growth patterns indicate that wages and salaries paid in Major Cities are increasing at a consistently higher rate than for employees in other regions and that the difference is widening.

As a consequence, Major Cities made up $190.3 billion, or 73.3%, of total wages and salaries paid in 2000-01 while in Very Remote Australia the amount was $1.7 billion (0.7% of Australia's total). In 1995-96 total wages and salaries paid to employees in Major Cities accounted for 72.2% ($147.4 billion) of the Australian total.

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS, by Remoteness Area, 1995-96 to 2000-01

% Change

1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
1999-00 to 2000-01
1995-96 to 2000-01(a)

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS (no.)

Major cities
4,972,557
4,984,589
5,083,685
5,148,414
5,192,234
5,227,031
0.7
1.0
Inner regional
1,286,490
1,292,080
1,317,926
1,336,494
1,348,102
1,361,808
1.0
1.1
Outer regional
685,063
686,672
695,281
695,557
693,249
688,313
-0.7
0.1
Remote
120,047
121,525
122,077
118,161
116,388
112,428
-3.4
-1.3
Very remote
62,564
62,057
61,848
53,204
51,171
50,232
-1.8
-4.3
Australia(b)
7,166,722
7,188,213
7,313,428
7,380,064
7,434,529
7,471,989
0.5
0.8

WAGE AND SALARY INCOME ($m)

Major cities
147,390
153,901
163,793
172,735
181,247
190,313
5.0
5.2
Inner regional
33,202
34,718
36,745
38,552
40,107
41,975
4.7
4.8
Outer regional
17,399
18,180
19,067
19,710
20,067
20,747
3.4
3.6
Remote
3,418
3,634
3,763
3,770
3,756
3,797
1.1
2.1
Very remote
1,653
1,701
1,753
1,672
1,643
1,688
2.7
0.4
Australia(b)
204,211
213,378
226,043
237,367
247,877
259,612
4.7
4.9

(a) Average annual rate of increase.
(b) Total includes data that could not be allocated to a remoteness category.
Note: Indigenous persons engaged in Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) may be included in the above data for the years 1995-96 to 1997-98 and excluded for 1998-99 onwards. Consequently, changes between 1997-98 and 1998-99 and 1995-96 and 2000-01 in particular need to be treated with caution. For further details please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.

TOTAL WAGE AND SALARY INCOME,
by Remoteness Area, 1995-96 to 2000-01


Graph: Wage and Salary Income, by Remoteness Area, 1995-96 to 2000-01

Source: ATO Income Tax Data.


For the financial year 2000-01, the median individual annual wage and salary income for wage and salary earners in Australia was $30,470. This was an increase of 3.3% over the previous year ($29,509) and a 15.8% increase on the median in 1995-96 ($26,309). The average annual rate of increase over the last five years has been 3.2%. (Note: The median is the mid value which divides a population distribution into two, with half of the observations falling below it and half above it. Median wage and salary income has been calculated from data provided in ranges and therefore the distribution within a range has been assumed to be even. Care should be taken when using the data and the median treated as an estimate only).

The Major Cities remoteness category has consistently had the highest median annual wage and salary income over the period 1995-96 to 2000-01, while in 2000-01 Remote and Very Remote areas had the next highest medians with $29,296 and $29,137 per annum respectively. The higher medians in Remote and Very Remote areas are likely to be influenced by high wages and salaries paid to employees in the mining industry, which is concentrated in these regions of Australia, as well as higher wages offered to employees in general to attract them to work in these remote regions. Remote and Very Remote areas also had the greatest percentage change between 1999-2000 and 2000-01 with increases of 4.5% and 4.4% respectively.

The Outer Regional remoteness category had the lowest median wage and salary income, $27,451 in 2000-01, while Inner Regional recorded the smallest percentage increase between 1999-2000 and 2000-01 at 2.9%.

MEDIAN ANNUAL WAGE AND SALARY INCOME, by Remoteness Area, 1995-96 to 2000-01

% Change

1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
1999-00 to 2000-01
1995-96 to 2000-01(a)
$
$
$
$
$
$
%
%

Major cities
26,974
27,895
28,827
29,778
30,742
31,775
3.4
3.3
Inner regional
24,177
24,988
25,714
26,495
27,164
27,951
2.9
2.9
Outer regional
23,651
24,504
25,194
26,100
26,494
27,451
3.6
3.0
Remote
24,839
25,965
26,656
27,823
28,037
29,296
4.5
3.4
Very remote
22,369
22,950
23,754
27,495
27,904
29,137
4.4
5.4
Australia(b)
26,309
26,919
27,775
28,705
29,509
30,470
3.3
3.2

(a) Average annual rate of increase.
(b) Total includes data that could not be allocated to a remoteness category.
Note: Indigenous persons engaged in CDEP may be included in the above data for the years 1995-96 to 1997-98 and excluded for 1998-99 onwards. Consequently, changes between 1997-98 and 1998-99 and 1995-96 and 2000-01 in particular need to be treated with caution. For further details please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.

MEDIAN ANNUAL WAGE AND SALARY INCOME(a),
by Remoteness Area, 1995-96 to 2000-01


Graph: Median Annual Wage and Salary Income, by Remoteness Area, 1995-96 to 2000-01


(a) Indigenous persons engaged in CDEP may be included in the above data for the years 1995-96 to 1997-98 and excluded for 1998-99 onwards. Consequently, changes between 1997-98 and 1998-99 and 1995-96 and 2000-01 in particular need to be treated with caution. For further details please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.


SEX DISTRIBUTION

In 2000-01, there were 3.99 million male (54.8%) and 3.49 million female (45.2%) wage and salary earners in Australia. Although Major Cities accounted for most wage and salary earners the proportion of males generally increased in each class as the degree of remoteness increased. The proportion of male wage and salary earners in Major Cities was 52.8% in 2000-01 compared with 56.4% in Remote areas and 55.1% in Very Remote areas.

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS, by Sex and Remoteness Area, 2000-01

Percentage within remoteness class

Males
Females
Persons
Males
Females
no.
no.
no.
%
%

Major cities
2,762,303
2,464,701
5,227,004
52.8
47.2
Inner regional
734,552
627,248
1,361,800
53.9
46.1
Outer regional
380,825
307,481
688,306
55.3
44.7
Remote
63,419
49,021
112,440
56.4
43.6
Very remote
27,686
22,568
50,254
55.1
44.9
Australia(a)
3,986,424
3,485,559
7,471,983
54.8
45.2

(a) Total includes data that could not be allocated to a remoteness category.
Note: Due to the randomisation process applied to small cells for confidentiality purposes, totals for each characteristic and geographic area may differ from table to table. For further information please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.

PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS,
by Sex and Remoteness Area, 2000-01


Graph: Percentage Distribution of Wage and Salary Earners, by Sex and Remoteness Area, 2000-01

Source: ATO Income Tax Data.


Median wage and salary incomes for males were consistently higher than those for females in all remoteness areas in 2000-01. The differential between male and female median incomes was over $10,000 in each region with the highest differences in Remote and Very Remote areas ($14,674 and $12,650 respectively). Median incomes for females tended to be reasonably similar in all areas outside Major Cities.

Part of the disparity between male and female median wage and salary income is attributable to the differences in the number of hours worked. Females are more likely to be employed on a part-time basis than males, while males are more likely to work overtime. Females also frequently occupy lower paid positions (Australian Social Trends, 2002, (cat. no. 4102.0), Work: employment arrangements, p 132).


MEDIAN ANNUAL WAGE AND SALARY INCOME, by Sex and Remoteness Area, 2000-01

Males
Females
Persons
$
$
$

Major cities
37,709
26,306
31,775
Inner regional
33,865
22,498
27,951
Outer regional
32,728
22,107
27,451
Remote
36,920
22,246
29,296
Very remote
35,879
23,229
29,137
Australia(a)
36,403
25,091
30,470

(a) Total includes data that could not be allocated to a remoteness category.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.

MEDIAN ANNUAL WAGE AND SALARY INCOME,
by Sex and Remoteness Area, 2000-01

Graph: Median Annual Wage and Salary Income, by Sex and Remoteness Area, 2000-01

Source: ATO Income Tax Data.


AGE DISTRIBUTION

The proportion of wage and salary earners in each age group varies within each of the remoteness structure classes. The 25-34 year age group accounted for the largest proportion of wage and salary earners in Major Cities, Remote and Very Remote areas, at around 27% to 28%, while in both Inner Regional and Outer Regional areas the 35-44 year age group accounted for the largest proportion (around 26% to 27%).

In the 25-34 year age group the proportion of wage and salary earners outside of Major Cities increased as the degree of remoteness increased. For example, in 2000-01, 22.2% of wage and salary earners were aged 25-34 in Inner Regional areas rising to 27.7% in Very Remote areas. Conversely, the proportion of wage and salary earners in both the 45-54 year and 55 years and over age groups generally decreased as remoteness increased.

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS, by Age Group and Remoteness Area, 2000-01

15-24
years
25-34
years
35-44
years
45-54
years
55 years
and over
Total

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS (no.)

Major cities
999,808
1,412,022
1,259,081
1,067,358
488,687
5,226,956
Inner regional
265,954
302,518
350,807
309,800
132,710
1,361,789
Outer regional
137,052
165,764
175,643
145,449
64,464
688,372
Remote
21,634
30,135
29,281
21,899
9,469
112,418
Very remote
8,779
13,931
13,400
9,966
4,182
50,258
Australia(a)
1,439,796
1,934,530
1,835,272
1,560,156
702,214
7,471,968

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS (Percentage within Remoteness class)

Major cities
19.1
27.0
24.1
20.4
9.3
100.0
Inner regional
19.5
22.2
25.8
22.7
9.7
100.0
Outer regional
19.9
24.1
25.5
21.1
9.4
100.0
Remote
19.2
26.8
26.0
19.5
8.4
100.0
Very remote
17.5
27.7
26.7
19.8
8.3
100.0
Australia(a)
19.3
25.9
24.6
20.9
9.4
100.0

(a) Total includes data that could not be allocated to a remoteness category.
Note: Due to the randomisation process applied to small cells for confidentiality purposes, totals for each characteristic and geographic area may differ from table to table. For further information please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.

PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS,
by Age Group and Remoteness Area, 2000-01


Graph: Percentage Distribution of Wage and Salary Earners, by Age Group and Remoteness Area, 2000-01

Source: ATO Income Tax Data.


In all remoteness classes, the median wage and salary income increased with age, peaking in the 45-54 year age group. Individuals in this age group often experience increased earning capacity due to factors such as promotions, increased qualifications and experience.

The median annual wage and salary income was highest in Major Cities for all age groups except for those aged 15-24 years where Very Remote areas recorded the highest median income ($17,307). Overall, as the degree of remoteness increased, median wage and salary income for persons aged 15-24 increased. It is likely that persons in this age group in remote areas are more likely to be working full-time rather than undertaking study and working part-time, which is more common, particularly in Major Cities, for this age group (which would have the effect of lowering the median).

In 2000-01, Outer Regional areas had the lowest median annual wage and salary income for all age groups except the 15-24 year age group. Across all age groups the medians were greater in Remote and Very Remote areas than in the Inner Regional and Outer Regional areas. This again is likely to reflect the industry mix in each of these broad regions.

The highest median annual wage and salary income, $37,605, was recorded in Major Cities in the 45-54 year age group. The lowest median, $14,922, was in the Inner Regional areas for those aged 15-24 years.

MEDIAN ANNUAL WAGE AND SALARY INCOME, by Age Group and Remoteness Area, 2000-01

15-24
years
25-34
years
35-44
years
45-54
years
55 years
and over
Total
$
$
$
$
$
$

Major cities
16,043
34,509
37,308
37,605
33,439
31,775
Inner regional
14,922
30,105
32,233
33,413
28,698
27,950
Outer regional
15,901
29,852
31,239
32,043
27,707
27,450
Remote
16,990
32,165
33,884
34,423
29,694
29,277
Very remote
17,307
30,687
33,577
34,026
30,270
29,133
Australia(a)
15,815
33,320
35,632
36,193
31,835
30,470

(a) Total includes data that could not be allocated to a remoteness category.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.

MEDIAN ANNUAL WAGE AND SALARY INCOME,
by Age Group and Remoteness Area, 2000-01


Graph: Median Annual Wage and Salary Income, by Age Group and Remoteness Area, 2000-01

Source: ATO Income Tax Data.


OCCUPATION DISTRIBUTION

The proportion of wage and salary earners in each occupation group varies within each of the remoteness structure classes. The occupation groups Para-professionals, Tradespersons, Plant and machine operators and drivers and Labourers and related workers, all generally increased in proportion as remoteness increased. This reflects the skills required in the major industry sectors of primary production and mining that are more prevalent in areas outside of Major Cities.

Occupation groups such as Salespersons and personal service workers, Professionals and Clerks tended to decrease in proportion as remoteness increased.

Occupation data compiled from the ATO database includes a high proportion of wage and salary earners for whom the occupation was not stated or not coded. Care should therefore be taken when analysing the occupation distribution. Over the period for which this series has been compiled, the proportion of persons in the "not stated" category has decreased each year from around 27% in 1995-96 to 20% in 2000-01. It should also be noted that the proportion in the "not stated" category decreases with remoteness and may account for some of the apparent differences in occupations in the different remoteness classes. In Major Cities 21.2% of wage and salary earners did not state their occupation in 2000-01, decreasing to 13.1% in Very Remote areas. Further information is contained in the Glossary under Occupation.

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS, by Occupation(a) and Remoteness Area, 2000-01

Managers
and

admini-
strators
Profess-
ionals
Para-
profess-
ionals
Trades-
persons
Clerks
Sales-
persons
and
personal

service
workers
Plant
and

machine
opera-
tors and

drivers
Labour-
ers

and
related workers
Not
stated
Total

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS (no.)

Major cities
513,598
764,841
288,869
498,079
680,235
633,906
199,110
542,434
1,105,928
5,227,000
Inner regional
117,731
155,727
87,790
158,450
151,651
172,936
74,615
190,898
251,945
1,361,743
Outer regional
59,366
70,213
42,319
80,194
73,255
85,413
40,372
123,996
113,181
688,309
Remote
9,824
11,340
7,074
14,253
11,782
12,159
7,315
22,932
15,750
112,429
Very remote
4,642
5,349
3,907
6,093
5,789
5,086
3,357
9,463
6,580
50,266
Australia(b)
708,354
1,012,100
431,717
759,424
926,287
912,632
325,816
892,666
1,502,931
7,471,927

WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS (Percentage within Remoteness class)

Major cities
9.8
14.6
5.5
9.5
13.0
12.1
3.8
10.4
21.2
100.0
Inner regional
8.6
11.4
6.4
11.6
11.1
12.7
5.5
14.0
18.5
100.0
Outer regional
8.6
10.2
6.1
11.7
10.6
12.4
5.9
18.0
16.4
100.0
Remote
8.7
10.1
6.3
12.7
10.5
10.8
6.5
20.4
14.0
100.0
Very remote
9.2
10.6
7.8
12.1
11.5
10.1
6.7
18.8
13.1
100.0
Australia(b)
9.5
13.5
5.8
10.2
12.4
12.2
4.4
11.9
20.1
100.0

(a) Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, 1st Edition.
(b) Total includes data that could not be allocated to a remoteness category.
Note: Due to the randomisation process applied to small cells for confidentiality purposes, totals for each characteristic and geographic area may differ from table to table. For further information please refer to the Explanatory Notes.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.

PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS,
by Occupation(a) and Remoteness Area, 2000-01


Graph: Percentage Distribution of Wage and Salary Earners, by Occupation Group and Remoteness Area, 2000-01

(a) Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, 1st Edition.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.


In 2000-01, the median annual wage and salary income for Managers and administrators substantially decreased outside of Major Cities. The median in Major Cities, at $45,072 per annum, was approximately $10,000 per annum higher than for any other remoteness region. Professionals had the highest median in all remoteness classes except for Very Remote areas where Plant and machine operators and drivers had the highest median income.

Salespersons and personal service workers had the lowest median annual wage and salary income in every remoteness class. This reflects the nature of the retail industry where a substantial proportion of the workforce is employed on a part-time or casual basis. In Major Cities, Salespersons and personal service workers had a median annual wage and salary income of $23,193 while in Remote areas it was $19,458.

For the occupation groups Professionals, Para-professionals and Tradespersons the median annual wage and salary income was lowest in the Inner Regional and Outer Regional areas. In contrast, Clerks had the highest median in Major Cities with $29,731, while all other areas were around $25,500 per annum.

MEDIAN ANNUAL WAGE AND SALARY INCOME, by Occupation(a) and Remoteness Area, 2000-01

Managers
and

admini-
strators
Profess-
ionals
Para-
profess-
ionals
Trades-
persons
Clerks
Sales-
persons
and
personal

service
workers
Plant
and

machine
opera-
tors and

drivers
Labour-
ers and related workers
Not
stated
Total
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$

Major cities
45,072
46,488
40,290
33,293
29,731
23,193
36,702
26,557
23,412
31,775
Inner regional
36,582
43,033
37,945
30,663
25,991
20,269
36,909
25,267
18,738
27,950
Outer regional
34,353
42,048
38,211
30,589
25,718
19,961
36,751
24,379
19,007
27,449
Remote
35,696
43,322
41,393
35,426
25,513
19,458
41,744
27,094
18,277
29,307
Very remote
34,150
44,304
41,680
34,832
25,273
20,162
46,708
24,726
18,776
29,132
Australia(b)
42,061
45,549
39,620
32,470
28,583
22,150
36,925
25,970
22,052
30,470

(a) Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, 1st Edition.
(b) Total includes data that could not be allocated to a remoteness category.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.
MEDIAN ANNUAL WAGE AND SALARY INCOME,
by Occupation(a) and Remoteness Area, 2000-01


Graph: Median Annual Wage and Salary Income, by Occupation and Remoteness Area, 2000-01

(a) Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, 1st Edition.
Source: ATO Income Tax Data.