Hard-working Aussies slugged with a record $250billion wage bill

Record $250 Billion Wage Bill Raises Concerns

New data highlights growing worries about the Albanese Government's spending, as public sector wage costs hit a record $250 billion. Government expenditure on public service salaries has surged sharply, with taxpayers now funding this historic wage bill amid fears it may worsen inflation.

Public Service Employment and Wage Growth

Commonwealth employment increased by 5.6%, reaching 385,900 workers.
Wages rose 9.5% to $40.9 billion, exceeding the original forecast of $37.3 billion by $3.6 billion.
Overall, spending on public sector wages across state, territory, and federal governments grew 7.6% in the year to June 2025.

Insights from the Australian Bureau of Statistics

"Wages paid to public sector employees totalled $249.5 billion in the 2024–25 financial year across all levels of government," said Sean Crick, ABS head of labour statistics.

"This was an increase of 7.6 per cent, slightly less than the 8.0 per cent annual growth seen in 2023–24."

Crick attributed the rise to new enterprise agreements and a growing workforce, explaining: "The rise in the public sector wage bill reflected a combination of underlying wage growth driven by new enterprise agreements and growth in employment."

Political Reactions

During a heated Question Time, the Opposition blamed Labor's spending for making it difficult for the Reserve Bank to reduce interest rates, warning that excessive government expenditure was keeping inflation persistently high.

Author’s summary: The record $250 billion wage bill driven by new agreements and workforce growth has intensified inflation fears amid mounting political criticism of government spending.

Daily Mail — 2025-11-06

Record $250 Billion Wage Bill Raises Concerns

Public Service Employment and Wage Growth

Insights from the Australian Bureau of Statistics

Political Reactions

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