AUGUST KEY FIGURES

		Aug 2008	May 2008 to Aug 2008	Aug 2007 to Aug 2008
		$	% change	% change
Trend Estimates
Private & public sectors
	Full-time adult ordinary time earnings	1 145.10	1.2	4.5
	Full-time adult total earnings	1 196.20	1.2	4.5
	All employees total earnings	897.90	0.9	3.3
Private sector
	Full-time adult ordinary time earnings	1 126.70	1.3	4.9
	Full-time adult total earnings	1 180.40	1.3	5.0
Public sector
	Full-time adult ordinary time earnings	1 211.50	0.7	3.1
	Full-time adult total earnings	1 254.30	0.8	3.1
Seasonally Adjusted Estimates
Private & public sectors
	Full-time adult ordinary time earnings	1 147.20	1.6	4.7
	Full-time adult total earnings	1 198.10	1.6	4.6
	All employees total earnings	899.90	1.3	3.5
Private sector
	Full-time adult ordinary time earnings	1 129.40	1.9	5.1
	Full-time adult total earnings	1 182.10	1.7	5.0
Public sector
	Full-time adult ordinary time earnings	1 211.90	0.8	3.4
	Full-time adult total earnings	1 255.80	1.0	3.4

Full-time adult total earnings, Quarterly % change in trend estimates - All Sectors

Full-time adult total earnings, Quarterly % change in trend estimates - Private and Public (a)

AUGUST KEY POINTS


TREND ESTIMATES

• Full-time adult ordinary time earnings rose by 4.9% for males and 4.4% for females in the twelve months to August 2008.
• In the twelve months to August 2008, full-time adult total earnings rose by 5.1% for males and 4.3% for females.

NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE (QUARTER)	Release Date
November 2008	26 February 2009
February 2009	21 May 2009

NOTES ON ESTIMATES

REVISIONS TO ESTIMATES

As foreshadowed in Information Paper: Revisions to Average Weekly Earnings Series (cat. no. 6302.0.55.001) released on 11 November 2008, average weekly earnings estimates from August 1996 to May 2008 have been revised. The data presented in this issue reflect those revisions. For further information see paragraphs 21-23 of the Explanatory Notes.

COMPOSITIONAL EFFECTS

Movements in average weekly earnings can be affected by both changes in the level of earnings per employee and changes in the composition of the labour force. For example, changes in the proportions of full-time, part-time, casual and junior employees and variations in the distribution of occupations can affect movements in earnings series. Refer to paragraphs 19 and 20 of the Explanatory Notes.


SAMPLING ERROR

For information on sampling error see the Technical Note at the end of this publication. Standard errors for the original estimates contained in this publication are in tables 18 to 20.


INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Manpreet Singh on Perth (08) 9360 5304.