The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has just released its Wage Price Index for the December quarter of 2016, which revealed a continuation of weak wages growth across the economy, with annual wages growth falling to the lowest rate in the series’ 19 year history (see below charts).
![ScreenHunter_17600 Feb. 22 11.35](https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ScreenHunter_17600-Feb.-22-11.35.jpg)
According to the ABS, wages grew by 0.48% (both s.a. and trend) in the December quarter. Private sector wages grew by 0.40% (both s.a. and trend) over the quarter, whereas public sector wages grew by 0.55% (both s.a. and trend).