Aussies ‘getting paid more’ during cost-of-living crisis

The cost-of-living crisis is impacting everyone but there’s one industry that is still thriving despite these difficult times.

Tradies are thriving. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Dean Martin

While the rest of us baulk at the cost of our rising grocery bills, one type of Australian is still thriving in our inflated economic times: the tradie.

Inflation is at 7 per cent, the RBA rates have increased 11 times to 3.8 per cent, and groceries have never been as expensive.

New data also shows rental prices in some suburbs have increased by almost 50 per cent in the past year, pushing a growing number of tenants to breaking point.

Pretty much all Australians are spending more at the moment, and it is causing an overarching financial anxiety.

Yet those wearing hard hats, high visibility shirts and boots with steel caps aren’t feeling the crunch in the same way.

Tradies are thriving. Picture: News.com.au

Being a tradie pays well. Picture: news.com.au

In 2022 a report revealed that Australian tradies are some of the best-paid in the world.

The International Construction Market Survey from British construction company Turner & Turner revealed that the average hourly wage of a tradie in Melbourne was $124, in Perth $117, in Brisbane, $111.10, in Sydney, $106.24 and in Adelaide $97.85

To put that in perspective the average hourly wage in Australia hovers just above $35.

When I took to the streets of Sydney to ask tradies how they were coping with the cost of living, the resounding answer was, “no worries mate.”

One tradie informed me they weren’t worried because, “we seem to be getting paid more if anything.”

Another shared they weren’t too concerned about the cost of living crisis. “It’s not that bad at the moment,” he remarked.

“Nah not really,” one replied when I asked if he’d been impacted by inflation.

“I’m very lucky because my company pays quite well, and I’m doing fine,” another shared seemingly completely unphased.

Have none of these tradies seen the cost of tomatoes at the moment? It is currently $10.70 for 1kg of tomatoes at Woolworths.

One tradie was kind enough to put tools down for long enough to explain why he wasn’t worried about inflation.

“I don’t work for less than $35 an hour, and I can usually get $40-$50. Even though with inflation everything’s like $50 dollars more expensive, it doesn’t really affect me,” he shared.

He did reveal that he had five years experience under his tool belt and it would be fresh tradies who would be feeling the pinch.

“I think the people it would screw is if you have less than six months experience, then you are earning $30-$35 an hour,” he shared.

Interestingly though, he felt as a general rule the entire tradie industry was “immune” to cost of living concerns.

“Tradies and construction are exempt because it isn’t like you are working at Woolworths for like $23 bucks an hour part-time. If I were on that wage, I’d probably move out of Sydney because it’d do my head in,” he said.

So does he have any money concerns?

“I’d say I have slightly less disposable income but we are immune to it,” he said.

Qualified tradies are killing it. Picture: news.com.au

Tradies still learning their craft are struggling. Picture: News.com.au

I managed to discover one woman who left their hospitality gig to pursue the more lucrative career of being a traffic controller on construction sites.

While not technically a tradie, she explained that she was “definitely” earning more than when she was in the food and drink industry and admitted she wasn’t as concerned about the cost of living crisis since she snagged her new gig.

So is anyone in her industry worried about the cost-of-living crisis?

“In my traffic control industry, a little bit just because of the consistency of hours, but in terms of a qualified tradies, no,” she revealed.

The only tradies that I managed to find that were concerned about inflation were those still completing their apprenticeships.

“We get bare minimum, very low pay, but I’m living with my parents so it isn’t too bad, but I still have a lot of things to pay for,” he shared.