Total hourly rates of pay rose by 0.5 per cent in the March quarter 2019 and 2.3 per cent in the 12 months to March quarter, according to the seasonally adjusted Wage Price Index (WPI) released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 

The latest figures showed that the total hourly rates of pay excluding bonuses in the March quarter rose by 0.5 per cent in the private sector and 0.4 per cent in the public sector. 

However, these figures were below the market expectations of 0.6 per cent growth. 

"Annual wages in seasonally adjusted terms grew 2.3 per cent for the third quarter in a row. The main contributors to growth over the quarter were regularly scheduled wage rises in the Health care and social assistance and Education and training industries, as was the case in the previous March quarter,” ABS Chief Economist Bruce Hockman said. 

In the March quarter 2019, the highest index rise was recorded by the Transport, postal and warehousing industry and the Education and training industry, both with 0.7 per cent. 

In the last 12 months to March quarter 2019, the annual wages grew by 2.3 per cent. 

The growth varied amongst different industries, as both the Construction industry and Information media and telecommunication services industry saw a growth of 1.8 per cent, while the Health care and social assistance industry saw a growth of 3.0 per cent. 

Victoria recorded the highest through-the-year wage growth of 2.7 per cent, while Western Australia recorded the lowest with 1.6 per cent. 

WA also recorded the lowest quarter rise of 0.3 per cent in the March quarter. 

"Wages everywhere in Australia have performed very poorly, but some regions have been especially hard-hit," Centre for Future Work economist Jim Stanford said.

"Communities in regional WA and Queensland have been among the hardest hit of anywhere in the country,” Dr Stanford added. 

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