MARCH KEY FIGURES

			Dec Qtr 2011 to Mar Qtr 2012	Mar Qtr 2011 to Mar Qtr 2012
			% change	% change
Wage Price Index (WPI) Total hourly rates of pay excluding bonuses Trend(a)
	Australia		0.9	3.6
	Sector
		Private	0.9	3.8
		Public	0.7	3.0
Original
	Australia		0.8	3.5
	Sector
		Private	0.8	3.7
		Public	0.8	3.1
(a) See Explanatory Notes paragraphs 46-47, 50.

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 2012

MARCH KEY POINTS


TOTAL HOURLY RATES OF PAY EXCLUDING BONUSES

QUARTERLY CHANGE (DEC QTR 2011 TO MAR QTR 2012)

• The index for all employee jobs in Australia rose 0.9%, in trend terms.
• The increase in indexes (in original terms) at the industry level ranged from 0.2% for Accommodation and food services; Information media and telecommunications; and Arts and recreation services to 2.2% for Mining.

ANNUAL CHANGE (MAR QTR 2011 TO MAR QTR 2012)

• The rise in the trend index through the year to the March quarter 2012 for all employee jobs was 3.6%.
• Increases in the original indexes through the year to the March quarter 2012 at the industry level ranged from 3.0% for Retail trade; Public administration and safety; and Health care and social assistance to 4.6% for Mining.

NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUE (QUARTER)	Release Date
June 2012	15 August 2012
September 2012	14 November 2012
December 2012	20 February 2013
March 2013	15 May 2013

CHANGES IN FUTURE ISSUES

Due to work program reductions, the ABS has discontinued the non-wage and labour price indexes. The last data in these series can be found in the September quarter 2011 edition of this publication. Wage price indexes are unaffected by the reductions and will continue to be produced. More detail on these changes can be found on page 4.


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 Luci Burrage 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 Luci Burrage on Perth (08) 9360 5151.