Palaszczuk Government supports pay increase for lowest paid

The Palaszczuk Government is supporting a $25.17 per week pay rise for Queensland’s lowest paid private sector workers.

Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said the Palaszczuk Government’s submission to the Fair Work Commission’s Annual Wage Review called for a 3.5 per cent increase to the national minimum wage and a fair and reasonable increase for all minimum award rates of pay.

“If endorsed by the Fair Work Commission, it would deliver a much-needed increase in take home pay for more than 400,000 Queenslanders who don’t have access to enterprise bargaining,” Ms Grace said.

“The Palaszczuk Government wants to make sure workers with little or no bargaining power on the national minimum wage aren’t left behind by the rising cost of living.

“With the Morrison Government stripping away penalty rates and failing to act on stagnant wage growth and wage theft, a pay increase for Queensland’s lowest-paid workers has never been more important.”

Ms Grace said the Palaszczuk Government’s submission for a 3.5 percent increase was consistent with the Fair Work Commission’s 2018 increase.

“It’s a sensible, affordable and equitable increase amid growing community concern about the disproportionate rise in CEO wages and bonuses,” Ms Grace said.

“A $25 per week rise for the minimum wage and a fair and reasonable increase to all other minimum award rates of pay recognises workers in the engine room of the Australian economy including retail workers, hospitality workers, child care workers and cleaners.”

The Fair Work Commission is expected to hand down its Annual Wage Review in June.

“For more than 400,000 Queenslanders it means a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work,” Ms Grace said.

Media contact: Laura McKee 0451 997 920