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Australia’s lowest paid workers receive a 3.5% wage increase

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Australia’s lowest paid workers just got a 3.5% wage increase. Their next boost could be even better

Carlos Castilla/Shutterstock

John Buchanan, University of Sydney

A week ago, the Australian Financial Review released this year’s “Rich List”. It reported the number of billionaires in Australia increased from 150 to 166 between 2024 and 2025.

A very different story is happening at the other end of the market. On Tuesday the Fair Work Commission awarded the lowest paid 20% of wage earners a 3.5% increase as a result of its annual review.

The commission acknowledged even with this increase, our lowest paid employees will not be earning as much in real terms as they did before the post-COVID inflationary surge of 2021-2022.

Why such a meagre increase?

In Australia it has long been accepted that – all things being equal – wages should move with both prices and productivity.

Adjusting them for inflation ensures their real value is maintained. Adjusting them for productivity means employees share in rising prosperity associated with society becoming more productive over time.

This “prices plus productivity” model of wage rises is, however, subject to economic circumstances. In recent times the key circumstance of concern has been inflation.

Depending how it is measured it peaked at between 6.5% and 9.6% in 2022-2023.

Since 2022, economic agencies such as the Reserve Bank and state treasuries, along with finance sector economists, have been preaching about the threat of inflation persisting.

Cutting real wages to control inflation

Interest rates were increased to tame the inflation dragon. And these
agencies all issued dire warnings about the threat of long-term inflationary pressure if wages were adjusted to maintain lower and middle income earners living standards.

In its last three decisions the Fair Work Commission accommodated this narrative. Since July 2021 it ensured wages for the lowest paid 20% of employees did not keep up with inflation.

Unsurprisingly, real wages for award-dependent employees fell.

The commission has done its best to look after those on the absolute lowest rates: that is the 1% or so on the national minimum wage.

Their wages have fallen by 0.8% over the period since July 2021. For those in the middle of the bottom 20% of employees dependent on awards the fall has been in the order of 4.5%.

For example, this is the fall experienced by an entry level tradesperson in manufacturing dependent on an award.

Because inflation is currently running at about 2.4%, the 3.5% increase marks a modest 1% real wage gain for a worker on or close to the entry level manufacturing tradesperson rates.

In making this increase, the commission argued if real wage cuts continued, the entrenchment of lower minimum award rates was likely. It noted the economy is in pretty good shape – not just in terms of inflation and employment – but also many firms are turning a profit.

What about productivity?

The other striking feature of the post-COVID economic recovery has been poor productivity performance. It initially went backwards and more recently has flatlined.

The commission rejected arguments recent poor performance in national productivity numbers should prevent raising the minimum award higher than inflation.

It did this because it distinguished between productivity in the market and non-market sectors. In the former, productivity growth has been modest, but positive.

Poor numbers in the non-market sector like health and social services were an artefact of both measurement problems and the need for more workers per unit output to boost the quality of these services.

Silver linings?

It is always a judgement call as to what is the appropriate scale of any wage increase. Given low paid workers were not the source of recent inflationary pressure, it is reasonable to claim now is the time to reverse the recent trends of cutting their real wages.

Whether the increase had to be so modest is something the commission has
indicated it is open to considering in future hearings. It has sent this signal by floating two novel arguments.

The first argument concerns how cuts in real pay are calculated. In its decision it makes the very important point that conventional measures of real wage movements use monthly measures of inflation but wages only increase annually.

It’s on this basis the 4.5% cut for the benchmark entry level trade worker in manufacturing was calculated.

The commission notes, however, that if you take into account wages only rise once a year and inflation rises continuously, the overall loss of earnings power for such workers has been 14.4% since July 2021.

This is a much higher account of real wage cuts than has previously informed debates on wages policy.


FairWork Commission Annual Wage Review 2025, CC BY-NC-ND

Secondly, the commission has noted consideration should be given to phasing out some of the lowest classifications in the award system. This is something it has done in the past.

In this way it does not have to “increase rates” for low paid
classifications as such. Rather, it just eliminates the possibility of having rates for exceptionally low paid jobs – and so raises the base rates dramatically for the lowest paid workers.

Next year, things could be better. Australia has a long history of having a wages system that takes seriously the needs of all workers, and especially the low paid. This decision marks a break with the recent habit of using the lowest paid workers as a shock absorber for macroeconomic policy.

The 3.5% rise is a modest increase but an important one. More important is the framework the commission has set up for decisions in future years. Devising a more accurate measure of real wage cuts and noting the importance of abolishing whole classifications of low paid work lays the foundations for potentially very exciting developments in Australian wages policy in coming years.

John Buchanan, Professor, Discipline of Business Information Systems, University of Sydney Business School, University of Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Politics

Macron’s Prime Minister resigns after just one month

Macron’s latest prime minister resigns after just a month amid growing fiscal challenges and government instability in France

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Macron’s latest prime minister resigns after just a month amid growing fiscal challenges and government instability in France

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In Short:
– Sébastien Lecornu resigned as Prime Minister after less than a month, the shortest tenure in Fifth Republic history.
– His departure reflects Macron’s ongoing challenges in securing a stable government amid economic difficulties and political division.
Sébastien Lecornu has resigned as France’s Prime Minister after less than a month, marking the briefest tenure in the country’s Fifth Republic.His departure highlights President Emmanuel Macron’s ongoing difficulties in establishing a stable government amid worsening fiscal conditions.

Lecornu, the fourth prime minister to resign under Macron, faced the challenge of addressing a significant budget deficit while managing a divided National Assembly.

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France’s rising borrowing costs reflect its economic troubles. The CAC 40 index dropped by 2%, and the yield on 10-year bonds climbed to 3.6%. Critics, including Jordan Bardella of the National Rally, are calling for the dissolution of the National Assembly, arguing that such action is necessary for stability.

Upcoming elections could further weaken Macron’s legislative power. His earlier decision to dissolve parliament led to fragmentation, with left-wing and far-right parties gaining strength at the expense of Macron’s centrist coalition.

Government Instability

Lecornu was appointed after François Bayrou’s government collapsed. Bayrou faced backlash for proposing cuts to public spending, intensifying fiscal issues. Lecornu aimed to reform the approach of previous administrations but faced opposition from both ends of the political spectrum.

Rather than seeking cooperation, he appointed familiar figures from previous governments, drawing criticism from conservatives and leftists alike. Macron has been hesitant to engage with the leftist coalition that won the most votes in recent elections, complicating efforts to establish a governing majority.


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Newspoll shows divided opinions on rising house prices

Newspoll shows divided opinions on Australian house prices as government support raises expectations for market increase

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Newspoll shows divided opinions on Australian house prices as government support raises expectations for market increase

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In Short:
– Newspoll reveals a divide among Australians on house prices, with 34% wanting increases and 30% preferring stability.
– The Albanese government plans to build 1.2 million homes by 2029 to address housing supply issues.
Newspoll indicates a split among Australians regarding house prices over the next three years. More voters support an increase in home values than those who prefer stability or a decrease.
This comes as expectations rise due to government support aimed at aiding first-home buyers.The survey, conducted for The Australian, shows that 34% of respondents want prices to rise, while 30% want them to stay the same and another 30% wish for a decrease. A notable 6% had no preference.

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Divisions among the population are evident, especially between those with mortgages and renters. The Albanese government aims to address housing by pledging to build 1.2 million homes by 2029, but opinions on property prices are divided.

Most respondents aged 18-34 are in favour of dropping house prices, contrasting with older demographics more supportive of value increases. Rental households predominantly desire lower prices, in stark contrast to homeowners. Support for rising prices is stronger among Coalition voters and those who support independents.

Government Response

Prime Minister Albanese noted the government’s expansion of the Home Guarantee Scheme aims to ease access for first-home buyers. He highlighted the scheme’s minimal impact on price increases, despite a slight projected rise.

Albanese addressed housing supply challenges mentioned by Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock, stating that building takes time. He underscored ongoing efforts to boost housing stock through initiatives, including the Build to Rent scheme and renovation of unoccupied homes.


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Takaichi aims for Japan’s first female prime minister

Sanae Takaichi breaks barriers to lead Japan’s ruling party, poised to become the first female prime minister

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Sanae Takaichi breaks barriers to lead Japan’s ruling party, poised to become the first female prime minister

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In Short:
– Sanae Takaichi aims to become Japan’s first female prime minister, leading the ruling party amidst conservative policies.
– Her nationalistic views and opposition to same-sex marriage could alienate voters and challenge her leadership.
Sanae Takaichi emerged victorious in the male-dominated race to lead Japan’s ruling party, positioning herself to potentially become the country’s first female prime minister.
Takaichi’s conservative stance and fiscal policies have raised concerns among investors regarding her plans for an expansionist fiscal agenda.
Despite her background as a heavy metal fan, her nationalistic views may provoke tensions with China.Banner

With previous leadership attempts, Takaichi intends to gain parliamentary approval to replace Shigeru Ishiba. Although she belongs to the largest ruling party, the coalition currently lacks a clear majority following recent election losses.

Hosting a meeting with former President Donald Trump is anticipated as one of her early initiatives.

Takaichi is known for her admiration of Margaret Thatcher, discussing their meeting shortly before Thatcher’s passing in 2013. As a drummer, Takaichi’s personality may resonate with voters, though her nationalistic policies, including potential alterations to Japan’s constitution, could alienate some.

Potential Challenges

While Takaichi advocates for increased gender diversity in her cabinet, her conservative policies may alienate female voters.

She stands against same-sex marriage and the option for separate surnames for married couples, stances not widely supported by the public. Economically, Takaichi promotes ‘Abenomics’, pushing for increased spending amid rising living costs and opposing the Bank of Japan’s interest rate adjustments.


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