The economy is expected to grow and there are other positive signs ahead but the mid-year economic update has revealed the government will need to keep inflation in check.
Adjusted for inflation, Australians are being paid less than they were in 2020. These 4 charts show what’s changed in how we work – and the growing gap between your pay and what you can afford to buy.
A strong revenue flow, including from a pick-up in wages, appears to have made it possible for the government to do somewhat more on welfare payments than it originally intended
Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Asked how high an inflation rate Australia should prepare to tolerate, three of the 48 economists nominated 8% or higher. Seven expected inflation to fall without the need for further action.
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Tony Burke advocates on wages and arts
Michelle Grattan speaks with Tony Burke the minister for employment and workplace relations and minister for the arts, as well as the leader of the House of Representatives.
True wages growth, and true price growth, is probably less than the official figures suggest – meaning there’s no need for alarm about inflation in Australia.
Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Only five of the 56 economists surveyed believed lower immigration would boost wage growth. The rest backed measures to lift productivity and investment and changes that boosted the power of unions.