The federal government has announced a number of workplace improvements from increased wages for Australia's lowest paid workers to greater participation for females in the workforce.
More than 1.5 million low paid Australians will benefit from the Fair Work Commission's decision yesterday to increase minimum wages by a modest 2.6 per cent.
The Commission has announced that the National Minimum Wage will increase by $15.80 to $622.20 per week from July 1, 2013. The hourly rate will increase by 41 cents, from $15.96 to $16.37 per hour.
The Gillard Government has also worked to lift the living standards of Australia's lowest paid workers by tripling the tax-free threshold from $6000 to $18,200.
The government has also abolished the 15 per cent tax on superannuation contributions for low paid Australians, earning $37,000 or less, which delivers up to $500 more to their retirement savings each year.
The new pay rates for each modern award and further information and assistance is available at the Fair Work Ombudsman's website www.fairwork.gov.au or by calling 13 13 94.
Meanwhile, the government has tabled its response to a House of Representatives Committee report on pay equity and boosting female workforce participation.
The Minister for the Status of Women, Julie Collins, said that the Standing Committee on Employment and Workplace Relations' inquiry examined why women were at a disadvantage when it comes to participation in the workforce.
Collins said the Making It Fair Report outlines legislative and administrative reforms to improve pay equity between women and men.
For example, under the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency now has an enhanced role in working with business, industry and professional associations to provide resources including pay equity tools, advice and support to achieve gender equality in workplaces.
Earlier this year the government committed $6.2 million to establish a specialist Pay Equity Unit within the Fair Work Commission, which will begin on July 1, 2013.
"The new unit will undertake research and data collection to inform matters related to pay equity under the Fair Work Act, modern award reviews and annual minimum wage decisions,” Collins said.
