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MELBOURNE - Australians across the social divide are all enjoying prosperous times amid the country's economic boom, Treasurer Peter Costello says.
More people were in work than ever before in Australian history and there were two million more jobs than a decade ago, Mr Costello told ABC Radio.
"There are differing wages levels for different jobs but overall wages are higher than they have been at any time over the last decade," the treasurer said.
"More people in work earning, on average, more wages means that more families do have the means to cope ...
"We can say, on average, wages are higher and, of course, there are two million more jobs than there were 10 years ago."
But Mr Costello denied the current prosperity meant a widening gap between high- and low-income earners.
"Every study shows the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting richer," he said.
"The 10 per cent of the lowest income earners have actually increased their real income either through pensions or through wages over the last decade.
"It is true that the top 10 per cent may have increased their incomes by a lot more, but there's no doubt about it, and every study shows it, that in Australia the bottom 10 per cent have higher real incomes today than they did 10 years ago."
- AAP
