Average earnings rise

AVERAGE labour earnings in all major sectors of the economy, as measured by payroll per person engaged, posted an increase of 11.5 per cent in June, compared with the June last year, according to government statistics.

The increase in real terms was 3.7 per cent after discounting for changes in consumer prices. The community, social and personal services sector recorded the biggest jump, with average earnings increasing by 20 per cent in nominal terms or 11.6 per cent in real terms.

The Census and Statistics Department attributed the rise to 'both an increase in average earnings for a number of industry groups in this sector and a rise in the proportion of employees in some industry groups with relatively high labour earnings'.

Average earnings in the manufacturing sector rose by 9.7 per cent in nominal terms or 2.1 per cent in real terms, while the wholesale, retail and import/export trades, restaurants and hotel sector was up 10 per cent in nominal terms or 2.4 per cent in real terms.