Latest news

1 July 2009

New national workplace relations system and websites

There are two organisations in the new national workplace relations system and information is provided through three new websites:

• Fair Work Online provides information and advice about Australia’s new national workplace relations system;
• The Fair Work Ombudsman gives advice and helps people understand their workplace rights and responsibilities; and 
• Fair Work Australia is the national workplace relations tribunal.

30 June 2009

2009 general Wage-Setting Decision

The Australian Fair Pay Commission’s will announce its final general Wage-Setting Decision in July 2009. The Commission’s decision document and other related materials will be available for download from this website. From 1 August, the task of setting national minimum wages transfers to the Minimum Wage Panel of Fair Work Australia.

21 May 2009

Post-budget submissions online 

The Commission has posted nine Post-budget submissions received on its website. The submissions were received following an invitation by the Commission to key stakeholders to provide additional information to the 2009 Minimum Wage Review in light of the Federal budget announcement. 

30 March 2009

2009 Minimum Wage Review submissions online

The Australian Fair Pay Commission received 69 written submissions from interested groups and individuals to its 2009 Minimum Wage Review. 

Current minimum wage rates

The 2008 general Wage-Setting Decision has two main elements:

• an increase of $21.66 per week ($0.57 per hour) to the standard Federal Minimum Wage (FMW) bringing the weekly rate to $543.78. The standard FMW increases from $13.74 to $14.31 per hour; and
  
  
• an increase of approximately $21.66 per week ($0.57 per hour) for adult rates of pay in Australian Pay and Classification Scales (Pay Scales).

These increases flow on to junior employees, employees to whom training arrangements apply, employees with a disability, casual employees and employees receiving basic piece rates of pay. 

Pay Scale Summaries for more than 400 of the most commonly used awards have been published at Fair Work Online. The summaries have been adjusted to take account of the Commission’s general Wage-Setting Decision 2008.