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Employment and Earnings, Public Sector, Australia

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Contains estimates of public sector employees and cash wages and salaries by level of government, state and industry

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Reference period
2019-20 financial year
Released
12/11/2020
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Key statistics

There were 2,041,200 public sector employees at the end of June 2020 comprising:

  • 246,000 employees in Commonwealth government;
  • 1,609,100 in state government; and
  • 186,000 in local government.

Total public sector cash wages and salaries in 2019-20 was $174,139.5 million.

Main features

 Employees June 2020Cash wages and salaries 2019-20
'000$m
Commonwealth Government246.022 414.3
State Government1 609.1138 175.3
Local Government186.013 550.0
Total Public Sector2 041.2174 139.5

Coverage

  • Although earnings estimates relate to the full twelve months of the financial year, employment estimates relate to the last pay period ending in June of the given year. Given these differences, the ABS does not recommend using these components together to calculate average earnings. 
  • Estimates in this release may differ from other available information due to differences in coverage and/or the classification of organisations. For further details, refer to paragraphs 33-38 of the Methodology.

Tables

1. Public sector employees, level of government - states and territories
  June 2019 June 2020
 C'wealthStateLocalTotalC'wealthStateLocalTotal
 '000'000'000'000'000'000'000'000
NSW53.4485.557.2596.154.7486.654.6595.9
Vic.48.8386.752.5488.049.3381.250.3480.8
Qld28.1341.243.1412.529.0341.642.5413.1
SA14.0122.210.9147.114.0119.610.4144.1
WA12.8177.623.2213.513.1181.021.4215.6
Tas.5.1npnp53.35.244.94.054.0
NT4.128.42.935.43.628.02.834.4
ACT(a)75.7npnp100.677.126.2. .103.3
Australia242.11 610.6194.02 046.7246.01 609.1186.02 041.2

np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated
. . not applicable
a. The ACT Local and State government estimates have been combined in June 2020 for confidentiality reasons. The result is displayed under the ACT State estimate and associated totals.

2. Public sector cash wages and salaries, level of government - states and territories
  2018-19 2019-20
 C'wealthStateLocalTotalC'wealthStateLocalTotal
 $m$m$m$m$m$m$m$m
NSW

4 740.4

38 824.4

4 035.4

47 600.2

4 819.940 977.94 086.849 884.5
Vic.

4 494.7

30 791.4

3 260.7

38 546.9

4 513.332 568.03 296.540 377.8
Qld

2 306.3

28 531.6

3 296.8

34 134.7

2 332.230 125.13 403.135 860.4
SA

1 250.3

9 860.2

803.5

11 914.0

1 226.910 124.5 829.712 181.0
WA

1 032.9

15 049.1

1 469.3

17 551.3

1 044.115 545.11 489.718 078.9
Tas.

431.9

np

np

4 083.5

 428.13 593.4 270.94 292.4
NT

326.1

2 750.8

171.9

3 248.8

 289.22 819.7 173.43 282.3
ACT(a)

7 572.5

np

np

9 814.6

7 760.62 421.6. .10 182.2
Australia

22 155.1

131 441.3

13 297.4

166 893.8

22 414.3138 175.313 550.0174 139.5

np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated
. . not applicable
a. The ACT Local and State government estimates have been combined in 2019-20 for confidentiality reasons. The result is displayed under the ACT State estimate and associated totals.

3. Public sector employees and cash wages and salaries, industry
 EmployeesCash wages and salaries
 June 2019June 20202018-192019-20
 '000'000$m$m
Electricity, gas, water and waste services

48.9

50.5

5 475.7

5 694.0
Construction

8.6

6.2

879.7

612.2
Transport, postal and warehousing

82.5

79.3

7 426.0

7 344.1
Information media and telecommunications

16.9

16.5

1 729.2

1 718.6
Financial and insurance services

13.1

14.0

1 530.5

1 703.2
Rental, hiring and real estate services

5.2

4.9

440.3

461.0
Professional, scientific and technical services

26.5

26.6

2 538.1

2 664.9
Public administration and safety

636.8

637.4

54 843.2

56 520.3
Education and training

648.8

634.0

45 449.2

47 904.7
Health care and social assistance

526.9

543.3

44 389.8

47 220.0
Arts and recreation services

19.0

14.9

1 131.4

1 135.9
Other industries(a)

13.6

13.5

1 060.6

1 160.7
All industries

2 046.7

2 041.2

166 893.8

174 139.5

a. Includes Agriculture, forestry and fishing, Mining, Manufacturing, Wholesale trade, Retail trade, Accommodation and food services, Administrative and support services and Other services.
 

Inquiries

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Data downloads

Public sector employees and cash wages and salaries

Data files
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Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 6248.0.55.002.
 

Methodology

Employment and Earnings, Public Sector, Australia methodology, 2019-20 financial year