Real wages continue to go backwards under the Albanese Labor Government, with the ABS’ latest Wage Price Index for the June 2026 quarter showing real wages have declined across the life of the government by 1.5%.
Real wages have sat below their June 2022 level for every one of the sixteen quarters since Labor took office. For every $100 pay rise, inflation has eaten up $111. On the average full-time wage, pay rates are about $1,600 a year behind prices since the election.
Living costs for employee households (which includes mortgage interest charges) are up 23.9% since June 2022, despite wages only growing 15.1% across that period, and wage growth has run below inflation in all 18 industries over the year.
Attributable to the Shadow Treasurer:
The Albanese government’s active inflation agenda has corroded the wages of Australians. Pay rates on the average full-time wage have gone backwards $1,600 a year since the election, and they’re now doubling down on their strategy to stoke inflation, tax inflation and spend inflation in a vicious cycle that makes Australians poorer.
The Coalition has a plan to put more money back in the pockets of Australian workers through our Tax Back Guarantee, which will give a bigger, permanent tax cut every single year, and protect Australian workers from bracket creep.
Attributable to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition:
Anthony Albanese promised Australians would be better off under Labor, yet Australians continue to be worse off. This is Labor’s economy.
Wages have gone up 15.1 per cent under Labor, but prices have gone up 16.8 per cent. Any pay rise you’ve received over the past four years has been eaten up by Labor’s runaway inflation - and then some. Australians are feeling poorer because they are poorer.