New research by the Institute of Public Affairs found private sector workers suffered job losses at 4.5 times the rate of the public sector since the measures to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus were imposed in March.

In the past two months, jobs in the public sector decreased by 1.7 per cent, compared to a 7.7 per cent decrease the private sector.

This means job losses in the private sector were 4.5 times higher in the private sector.

"Over the past two months wages in the public sector have decreased by 2.6 per cent, compared to a 5.7 per cent decrease in the private sector," the IPA said.

"This means that wage decreases in the private sector were 2.2 times higher than wage decreases in the public sector."

Australian Bureau of Statistics data released last week showed a record 594,300 jobs were lost in April following social distancing measures imposed in late-March that led to widespread business closures.

IPA Director of Research Daniel Wild said the findings were "further evidence that there are two Australias".

"(There are) those who are sheltered from the negative impacts of the lockdown measures in the public sector and quasi-public institutions, and those exposed in the private, productive sectors of the economy," Mr Wild said in a statement on Thursday.

"Governments must focus on boosting jobs and wages in the private sector, which means easing the lockdown measures faster than currently planned, cutting red and green tape, and making it easier for small businesses to employ new staff.

"Economic recovery has commenced in the public sector, however, workers and businesses in the private sector continue to suffer as a result of exaggerated and unnecessary government lockdown measures."

But since early April, the public sector has begun to recover with the number of jobs increasing by 2.7 per cent compared with a 1.3 per cent decrease in the private sector.

And public sector wages have increased by 3.7 per cent but fallen by 2.2 per cent in the private sector.

Australian Associated Press