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Total Wages, Salaries Paid in Australia Rises in March

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Employers in Australia paid a total of AU$110.56 billion in wages and salaries for 15.5 million jobs in March, an increase of 1.4% from AU$109.07 billion in February, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday.

Wages and salaries paid rose across all states and territories from February to March, with Western Australia experiencing the biggest increase, driven by cyclical bonus payments in the mining industry.

Wages and salaries paid by employers increased in 15 of the 19 industries from February to March, with mining experiencing the largest rise.

Total wages and salaries paid in March rose 6% from AU$104.31 billion paid in March 2025.

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