Public servants = prosperity

Among the many dots that make up Census 2016’s pointillist portrait of Australia there are personal income numbers for the various capitals. In Hobart, where the chief industry has been the shutting down of industry and worship of trees, your typical Taswegian takes home a paltry $573.

In no less Gaia-fixated South Australia, the Blackout State aka Mainland Tasmania, it is $600.

For both Victoria and New South Wales the figure is $644, while Queenslanders are living large on $660 and Western Australians pocket $724.

From Hobart to Perth those numbers represent quite a spread, but far more interesting are the two best-heeled of Australia’s cities: Darwin and Canberra, the former seeing $871 in average weekly earnings and the latter $998.

Why the gross disparity? All theories are welcome but the intense prevalence of public servants and their above-market remuneration in the ACT and NT might just have something to do with it.

The curious can poke about to the heart’s content in the census “quick stats” via the link below.

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