Wages are growing (good news!) but they’re still playing catch-up with inflation

‘The reality is that, despite these good wage figures, workers’ ability to buy things with their money is going backwards.’ Photograph: Paul Braven/AAP

First, let us celebrate the strongest wage growth since 2012. Too often the narrative around wages seeks to undercut the positives – saying wages growth will hurt businesses or that they will force the Reserve Bank to raise interest rates further.

Please. Stop.