Wednesday, 13 February 2008
Chairman of the Australian Fair Pay Commission, Professor Ian Harper has clarified comments attributed to him in an article in today’s The Australian titled “Inflation may rob poor of raise”.
The article misquotes Professor Harper as saying “that the principles applying to the AFPC would be transferred to Labor’s replacement body”.
In the interview Professor Harper stated that the AFPC will continue to set and adjust minimum wages until the establishment of Fair Work Australia.
Professor Harper stressed today that the principles underlying the minimum wage-setting function to be performed by Fair Work Australia is a matter for the Government to determine.
Professor Harper also clarified that the AFPC is currently consulting with a range of State and Territory organisations in the lead-up to the 2008 Minimum Wage Review. The Commission is not hearing submissions from stakeholders as stated in the article.
Submissions to the Commission’s 2008 Minimum Wage Review close 14 March and will be considered by the Commission after that date.
Furthermore, Professor Harper clarified that there are approximately 1.1 million Australians who are Pay Scale-reliant.