December 17, 2009
Embargoed 11.30 am AEDT
102/2009
Australians earned $500 billion in 06-07: ABS
Australians earned more than $500 billion in personal income in 2006-07, according to estimates released
today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Income from wages and salaries accounted for more than three quarters - or $392 billion - of the total.
Income from investments was the second largest income source, representing around one-tenth of personal
income ($53 billion).
The third largest income source was from people who own unincorporated businesses, with earnings of $33
billion.
From 2003-04 to 2006-07 investment income grew at an average annual rate of 15.5%, while wages and
salary income grew at an average of 7.4%.
Other findings include:
Wage and salary earners in the areas of Mosman, Woollahra and Hunter's Hill in Sydney had the
highest average wage and salary incomes in Australia, at $106,397, $85,225 and $77,798
respectively.
The top two average own unincorporated business income regions were in the Perth areas of
Peppermint Grove ($71,647) and Cottesloe ($69,795).
Outside of the capital cities, seven of the ten regions with the largest average investment incomes
were in Queensland, with the largest in Main Beach-South Stradbroke in Queensland ($25,803).
Top ten average wage and salary incomes
Top ten average investment incomes
1
Mosman (A) (NSW)
$106,397
1
Woollahra (A) (NSW)
$57,810
2
Woollahra (A) (NSW)
$85,225
2
Mosman (A) (NSW)
$42,049
3
Hunters Hill (A) (NSW)
$77,798
3
Peppermint Grove (S) (WA)
$41,010
4
North Sydney (A) (NSW)
$72,939
4
Cottesloe (T) (WA)
$40,144
5
Ku-ring-gai (A) (NSW)
$71,371
5
Mosman Park (T) (WA)
$39,586
6
Leichhardt (A) (NSW)
$68,703
6
Stonnington (C) - Prahran (Vic.)
$38,834
7
Lane Cove (A) (NSW)
$67,777
7
Hunters Hill (A) (NSW)
$33,865
8
Willoughby (C) (NSW)
$67,687
8
Ascot (Qld)
$32,691
9
Manly (A) (NSW)
$66,365
9
Hamilton (Qld)
$32,686
10
Bayside (C) Brighton (Vic.)
$66,283
10
Nedlands (C) (WA)
$32,366
Further detail is available in Estimates of Personal Income for Small Areas, Time Series, 2003-04 to 2006-07
(cat. no. 6524.0.55.002), available for free download from the ABS website <www.abs.gov.au>.
Media note:
When reporting ABS data, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the
source.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Media requests and interviews
Corporate Communications 1300 175 070
Statistical Clarification
Melanie Johns (08) 8237 7442
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