- In short: The Fair Work Commission has increased both the minimum and award wages by 3.75 per cent.
- The decision means the national minimum wage will be $24.10 per hour or $913.91 per week, based on a 38-hour week.
- What’s next? The increase to minimum and award wages will take effect from July 1.
Additional coverage:
- The Conversation: Low-paid wages up 3.75%, with more to come for childcare and health professionals
- SBS (audio): Australia’s trade unions disappointed by minimum wage changes
- The Business Times: Australia raises minimum wage 3.75%, aiding inflation fight
- ABC: Fair Work’s wage rise may keep the economy on its ‘narrow path’ but leaves many households teetering on the edge
It’s been a long time since I was on minimum wage, but that’s $47.5k / roughly what I was making around 2003-2005 as an IT worker.
Minimum wage has come a long way in 30 years! (No, I couldn’t live on this wage today - depending on how much I’d lose in tax, it might not even cover my rent. But still, minimum wage is pushing $50k!)