The Albanese government supports another wage rise for low-income Australians – but is reluctant to put a figure as to how much extra they should be paid.
In stark contrast to last year when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese regularly held up a one dollar coin to represent the “modest” hourly wage rise he said workers needed to keep up with inflation, the government is hesitant to repeat the stunt.
The government is finalising its submission to the Fair Work Commission’s annual wage review.
Headline inflation is currently at 7.8 per cent, resulting in unions pushing for millions of award-reliant workers to receive a seven per cent pay rise; and an even bigger increase for more than 180,000 minimum-wage workers, according to The Australian.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said the government will put a submission to the Commission, but has not yet finalised what it will contain.
“We support wage increases, particularly for low income workers, You’ve seen that since the beginning of this government,” she told ABC Radio.
“You won’t see that change. We will continue to argue for that.
“But the submission needs to be finalised, and go through our processes.”
As for a figure, Senator Gallagher said the government would leave that to the unions.
According to The Australian, union leaders want the government to uphold the position it took to last year’s wage review, that the real wages of low-paid workers should not go backwards.
Senator Gallagher said the government wanted low-income workers to be looked after.
“We want to make sure that they are getting sustainable and affordable pay rises,” she said.
Asked whether the government would put in its submission that workers shouldn’t go backwards, she said the position was still being finalised.
Employers are expected to say that a seven per cent rise would be detrimental to many small businesses.
Unions, the government and employers have until March 31 to make their submissions to the commission.