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# Canberra workers among the few to beat inflation
- URL: https://www.benchmarkanalytics.com.au/canberra-workers-among-the-few-to-beat-inflation/
- Published: 2026-08-19T05:08:19.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-22T12:46:23.000Z
- Author: Nick Hossack
- Tags: Wages & Inflation

The ABS Wage Price Index measures changes in wage rates for a fixed basket of jobs, unaffected by changes in employment composition, hours worked or employee characteristics.

In addition to a national figure, the ABS breaks down wage changes by state and territory and by industry sector.

To calculate industry-based real wage changes between June 2022 and June 2026, the wage indexes are deflated by national quarterly CPI, while state indexes are deflated by the corresponding capital-city CPI.

**The results are striking.**

Only workers in two of Australia's 18 industries are ahead of inflation. Electricity, gas, water and waste services recorded a **0.89% real wage gain**, while Health care and social assistance managed just **0.23%**.

At the other end, wages in Financial and insurance services are **3.27% lower** in real terms, followed by Professional, scientific and technical services at **\-2.55%**.

The geographical picture is similarly weak. Only the **ACT (+0.68%)** and **Tasmania (+0.35%)** recorded positive real wage growth using local capital-city inflation. South Australia performed worst at **\-2.63%**, followed by New South Wales at **\-2.37%**.

**Critics would argue that the Commonwealth helped create the inflation problem. Yet capital city workers in Canberra are among the very few who have largely escaped its real-wage consequences.**

| Real wage growth by industry                                                                                                                            |                 |                    |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------- | ------------------ |
| June quarter 2022 to June quarter 2026\. WPI deflated by national quarterly CPI. Navy = real wage gain; orange = real wage loss. Bar scale: -4% to +4%. |                 |                    |
| Industry                                                                                                                                                | Real wagegrowth | Loss ← 0 → Gain    |
| Electricity, gas, water & waste services                                                                                                                | +0.89%          |                    |
| Health care & social assistance                                                                                                                         | +0.23%          |                    |
| Mining                                                                                                                                                  | \-0.79%         |                    |
| Manufacturing                                                                                                                                           | \-1.04%         |                    |
| Transport, postal & warehousing                                                                                                                         | \-1.40%         |                    |
| Construction                                                                                                                                            | \-1.57%         |                    |
| Wholesale trade                                                                                                                                         | \-1.61%         |                    |
| Public administration & safety                                                                                                                          | \-1.65%         |                    |
| Administrative & support services                                                                                                                       | \-1.70%         |                    |
| Information media & telecommunications                                                                                                                  | \-1.74%         |                    |
| Arts & recreation services                                                                                                                              | \-1.76%         |                    |
| Education & training                                                                                                                                    | \-1.77%         |                    |
| Retail trade                                                                                                                                            | \-1.87%         |                    |
| Other services                                                                                                                                          | \-1.88%         |                    |
| Accommodation & food services                                                                                                                           | \-1.92%         |                    |
| Rental, hiring & real estate services                                                                                                                   | \-2.07%         |                    |
| Professional, scientific & technical services                                                                                                           | \-2.55%         |                    |
| Financial & insurance services                                                                                                                          | \-3.27%         |                    |
| All industries                                                                                                                                          | \-1.49%         | National benchmark |

| Real wage growth by state and territory                                                                                                                                         |                 |                    |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------- | ------------------ |
| June quarter 2022 to June quarter 2026\. State WPI deflated by corresponding capital-city quarterly CPI. Navy = real wage gain; orange = real wage loss. Bar scale: -4% to +4%. |                 |                    |
| State / territory                                                                                                                                                               | Real wagegrowth | Loss ← 0 → Gain    |
| Australian Capital Territory                                                                                                                                                    | +0.68%          |                    |
| Tasmania                                                                                                                                                                        | +0.35%          |                    |
| Northern Territory                                                                                                                                                              | \-0.48%         |                    |
| Queensland                                                                                                                                                                      | \-0.87%         |                    |
| Western Australia                                                                                                                                                               | \-0.89%         |                    |
| Victoria                                                                                                                                                                        | \-1.31%         |                    |
| New South Wales                                                                                                                                                                 | \-2.37%         |                    |
| South Australia                                                                                                                                                                 | \-2.63%         |                    |
| Australia                                                                                                                                                                       | \-1.49%         | National benchmark |