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Labor Party will make submission to Fair Work Commission Policy is calling for an increase on award and minimum wagesREAD MORE: Tax cuts for Australian workersBy ANTOINETTE MILIENOS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 20:33 BST, 1 April 2025 | Updated: 21:52 BST, 1 April 2025
Anthony Albanese’s government is set to announce its support for a pay rise for three million low paid workers including retail staff, early childhood educators and cleaners.Labor will make the submission to the Fair Work Commission – Australia’s independent tribunal responsible for setting award rates and minimum wage – on Wednesday. The submission urges the independent body to provide ‘an economically sustainable real wage increase’ to Australians on award and minimum wages. The policy does not stipulate a set dollar or per cent increase, but is advocating for the Commission to change its current structure on pay increases. The current submission is advocating for an increase on real wages – those adjusted for inflation and at the same rate as the cost of living – contrary to Labor’s previous submissions which pushed for real wages not to go backwards.Labor will argue the party’s economic plan will prevent the pay rises from being inflationary despite any increases being consistent with inflation. ‘Inflation has come down substantially and is on track to return sustainably to the RBA’s target band this year,’ Labor wrote in its submission. ‘An increase in minimum and award wages should be consistent with this. Labor submits that this outcome is both fair and economically responsible. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor party will make a submission to the Fair Work Commission for an increase to award rates and minimum wages on Wednesday’Labor believes workers should get ahead with a real wage increase. Despite heightened global uncertainty and volatility, the Australian economy has turned a corner.’Inflation is now less than one third of its peak, unemployment remains low, there are over a million additional people employed than in May 2022, and interest rates have started to come down. ‘Economic growth rebounded at the end of last year and the private sector is now a key contributor to growth. Importantly, real wages growth has now returned and is forecast to continue across 2024-25 and 2025-26.’A soft landing in our economy looks more and more likely. While the global economy is uncertain and Australians are still under pressure, Labor has made substantial progress in turning the economy around.’ The submission adds the Albanese Government is ‘focused on finishing the fight against inflation’ and is determined to build a stronger budget and economy while also delivering responsible cost of living relief. About 2.9million Australian workers are paid based on the award, with the national minimum hourly wage of $24.10.Labor explained in its submission that cost of living pressures particularly affected low paid workers, many of which have dependent children and mortgages. ‘Low paid workers and their families are particularly affected by cost of living pressures,’ the submission reads. The submission calls for a ‘real wage increase’ on award and minimum wage, which will affect about three million Aussies including cleaners, retail staff and early childcare educators ‘They typically have limited liquid asset buffers to draw on to cover rising costs and they are less able to deal with unexpected expenses.’Around 20 per cent of the lowest paid employees provide for financially dependent children and nearly 40 per cent have a mortgage.’Mr Albanese said Labor would work to boost wages and took a swipe at the opposition, claiming the Liberal Party would ‘wreck the economy’. ‘During the last campaign, as I travelled around the country, I was asked if I supported a wage increase for low paid workers. I said absolutely,’ Mr Albanese said.’The Liberal Party said this would wreck the economy. Since then, we’ve seen wages going up, inflation coming down and interest rates starting to fall. ‘This campaign we will again be advocating for workers to get a pay rise to not only help them deal with the pressures of today, but to get ahead in the future.’The policy is not a binding commitment, which means pay rises are not guaranteed if Mr Albanese wins the next federal election and retains power.
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Pay rise on the way for millions of Aussies – what you need to know
