The average weekly wage in the ACT remained the highest in the country at $1663.40 in the year to June although men in Western Australia continued to earn more than those employed in the capital.
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Data issued by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday revealed ACT women remained the highest paid nationwide with an average weekly income of $1564 ($81,328 a year), which is 17 per cent higher than the average $1336.40 ($69,492.80 a year) wage in Western Australia and 20 per cent higher than the $1300.10 ($67,605 a year) received in New South Wales, the two next highest.
Men in Western Australia continue to earn more than those in Canberra with an average weekly take-home of $1788.90 ($93,023 a year), which is 2.7 per cent more than the average $1740.30 ($90,496 a year) in the ACT.
The ACT weekly average of $1663.40 - or $86,496 a year - is 1.7 per cent higher than figures recorded in the year to June 2013, and 4.2 per cent higher than figure reported in the year to June 2012.
While Canberrans as a whole remain the highest paid nationally, the ABS findings indicate a downward trend nationally.
In the year to June, the full-time adult average wage - as measured by the wage price index - increased by 2.4 per cent to $1453.90 ($75,603 a year).
Slowing growth was partly attributed to a declining mining sector, which delivered a 2.5 per cent wage increase despite increases of 6 per cent or more during recent years.
CommSec economist Savanth Sebastian said Western Australian wages remained high despite wage growth going backwards in the past year driven largely by the pull-back in mining investment.
Workers in the education, arts and recreation, energy and healthcare sectors experienced wage increases of 3 per cent of more, with construction and public administration sectors recording 2.9 and 2.8 per cent increases respectively.
Mr Sebastian said private sector wages rose by 2.1 per cent in the past 12 months, while public sector wages rose by 3.1 per cent.
The national gender gap between wages also increased during the year.
“On average men are earning $14,877 more per year than women - up a surprising 7.6 per cent over the past year,” Mr Sebastian said.
In the ACT, the disparity between the weekly wages of men and women was 11.2 per cent.
"One reason for the disparity is the strength in demand for labour in male-dominated sectors, such as mining and construction," Mr Sebastian said.
"However given the pull-back in mining investment it is likely that the gap between male and female wages widens at a slower pace."
Bank of Melbourne economist Jo Horton said the low wage growth was the result of low employment growth. In the past year the number of Australians in jobs has climbed just 0.8 per cent while the adult population has climbed 1.8 per cent.
''The rise in the unemployment rate suggests wage growth is likely to remain subdued for some time,'' he said. "An increase in wage growth would likely require a sustained fall in the unemployment rate.''
- with Peter Martin
