This site uses publicly available Australian and South Australian Government data only. No proprietary, confidential, or union-provided datasets are used.
What it’s used for:
Measuring inflation and cost-of-living changes over time, adjusting wages to show real (inflation-adjusted) outcomes, and comparing Enterprise Agreement wage paths against price growth.
Key notes:
CPI reflects changes in prices for a basket of goods and services and is the primary inflation benchmark used in Australia. CPI is referenced conceptually and visually throughout the dashboard and calculator.
What it’s used for:
Benchmarking general wage growth across the Australian economy and contextualising public sector wage movements against broader wage trends.
Key notes:
WPI measures wage growth for a fixed basket of jobs and is not affected by changes in hours worked or workforce composition. It is used as a reference benchmark only.
Agreements referenced:
South Australian Public Sector Wages Parity Enterprise Agreement: Salaried 2014
South Australian Modern Public Sector Enterprise Agreement: Salaried 2017
South Australian Public Sector Enterprise Agreement: Salaried 2021
What they’re used for:
Establishing historical and current EA wage increase schedules and modelling EA wage paths in comparison to CPI and WPI.
Key notes:
All agreements are publicly published and legally binding. Only headline wage increases are used; allowances and classifications are excluded.
What it’s used for:
Estimating total headcount by workgroup, identifying the largest cohorts, and approximating relative voting power using a one-person, one-vote framework.
Specific reference:
“SA public sector by employee and appointment types” table (page 22), 2025 Workforce Information Report. Totals only; no FTE weighting applied.
Key notes:
Allied Health Professionals are excluded where they now sit under a separate industrial instrument. Headcount is used deliberately as a proxy for voting power.
What it’s used for:
Estimating resident income tax, Medicare levy and surcharge (simplified), and HELP/HECS repayments for comparative purposes.
Key notes:
The calculator is illustrative only. No offsets, deductions, dependants, or individual circumstances are modelled.
All figures are presented in nominal dollars unless stated otherwise. “Real” outcomes are CPI-adjusted. No behavioural assumptions (overtime, promotion, allowances) are included. The dashboard and calculator are comparison tools, not forecasts or advice.
This site is a public data explainer only and does not provide industrial relations advice, voting guidance, financial advice, or tax advice. Figures are presented for transparency and comparison using public sources.