Australian wages rose at a moderate pace in the fourth quarter with the private sector picking up slightly, data showed on Wednesday, while annual growth tracked sideways as it has done for more than a year. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed its wage price index rose 0.8% in the December quarter, the same as the previous quarter and in line with analyst forecasts. Annual pay growth ticked up to 3.4%, from a revised 3.3%, and has been in a range of 3.2% to 3.6% for six consecutive quarters now.