MINIMUM WAGE – AUSTRALIA

Minimum pay hike ‘risks benefits of penalty cuts’

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 7-Jun-17

The ACTU says the 3.3 per cent increase in the minimum wage is insufficient, although employers’ groups warn that it could lead to job losses and deter businesses from hiring additional staff. The Fair Work Commission’s ruling lifts the minimum wage by $A22.20 a week to $A694.90, with president Iain Ross arguing that it is unlikely to have much adverse impact on employment. He added that this would probably not have been the case if a larger increase in the minimum wage had been approved.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, FRONTLINE HOBBIES

Unions want four-year wage targets

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 11-Oct-16

United Voice, which represents hospitality industry workers, claims that the minimum wage now comprises just 53 per cent of median earnings, compared with 62 per cent in 1997. The union’s submission to the Fair Work Commission’s annual wage review argues for the introduction of a "floor" to ensure that the minimum wage does not fall below 60 per cent of the median wage. United Voice also proposes the introduction of four-year targets for increases in the minimum wage.

CORPORATES
UNITED VOICE, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, CONSERVATIVE PARTY (GREAT BRITAIN)

Fears wage rise will hit hiring

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 2 : 1-Jun-16

Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO James Pearson says the $A15.80 per week increase in the minimum wage will make small businesses in particular less likely to hire additional staff. The minimum wage will increase by 2.4 per cent to $A672.70 a week, but Pearson notes that wages in the private sector rose by just 1.9 per cent in the March 2016 quarter and the annual inflation rate is 1.3 per cent. ACTU secretary Dave Oliver says the increase in the minimum wage is good but should have been higher.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Labor leaves low wage to tribunal

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Original article by Elizabeth Colman, Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 4 : 1-Apr-16

The Australian Labor Party will not make a submission on the Fair Work Commission’s review of the minimum wage. Workplace relations spokesman Brendan O’Connor says Labor has confidence in the wage review process and believes that it will consider factors such as the rising cost of living. The ACTU is seeking a $A30 per week increase in the minimum wage. Employer groups have proposed a much lower increase, citing factors such as the uncertain economic outlook and Australia’s high minimum wage compared with some countries.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, UNITED VOICE, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Poorer families may earn double before tax in GST plan

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 20-Oct-15

CPA Australia supports the idea of raising the tax-free threshold to match the minimum wage at $A33,327 a year, to compensate low-income earners for increasing the goods and services tax. CPA CEO Alex Malley said such a move would make work more attractive than welfare payments. Australian National University research fellow Rob Bray has doubts about the effectiveness of the higher tax-free threshold.

CORPORATES
CPA AUSTRALIA, ACTU, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY