Australia Lifts Minimum Wage to A$26.44 an Hour as Fair Work Penalties Reach A$5.46 Million
Updated
Updated · jws.com.au · Jul 2
Australia Lifts Minimum Wage to A$26.44 an Hour as Fair Work Penalties Reach A$5.46 Million
3 articles · Updated · jws.com.au · Jul 2
Summary
July 1 changes lifted Australia’s national minimum wage to A$26.44 an hour, or A$1,004.90 a week, while casual minimum pay rose to A$33.05 and modern award rates increased 4.75%.
The new financial year also brought tougher compliance rules: employers now face Fair Work Act penalties of up to A$546,000, or A$5.46 million for serious breaches, and underpayment cases can draw even higher fines.
Payday superannuation took effect for the first full pay cycle, requiring contributions every pay cycle and receipt by funds within seven business days instead of the old quarterly system.
Other thresholds also increased, including the high-income threshold to A$190,100, the unfair-dismissal compensation cap to A$95,050, and the superannuation maximum contribution base to A$270,830 a year.