ABS Data released since the changes to JobKeeper came into effect on 28 September 2020 show the construction industry has suffered during the pandemic. In recent reporting periods South Australia had been the only jurisdiction to record growth in both jobs and wages since 14 March 2020. While South Australia remains the strongest performing jurisdiction, jobs have dipped into the red and are current down 1.0% on 14 March 2020.
South Australia is the only jurisdiction to see an increase in wages since 14 March 2020, up 0.6%. Wage declines are most severe in the Northern Territory and New South Wages which are both into the double digits, at -14.0% and -11.8%, respectively.
Across all industry sectors jobs losses relative to 14 March 2020 troughed on 11 April 2020 at -8.1%, after which we have seen a recovery and since the end of May job losses across all industry sectors have not dipped below a decline of 5%. Construction experienced a far milder loss of jobs in the early stages however jobs losses have declined markedly in from -3.0% on 26 September 2020 to the largest decline to date at -7.6% on 17 October 2020.
The construction industry is the sixth (of 19) hardest hit industry sectors in Australia for both job and wage losses since Australia recorded its 100th case of COVID on 14 March 2020, with jobs down 7.6% and wages down 8.1%.
