The Western Australian Council of Social Service Inc. (WACOSS) considers the minimum wage to be a vital means of protecting low-waged workers from poverty.
An adequate and appropriate minimum wage supports a decent standard of living for working people and their families. As the minimum wage helps to ensure a fair and inclusive economy where all can contribute and thrive, it also delivers economic benefit to the wider Western Australian community.
As the peak body for the community services sector in WA and an advocate for people experiencing marginalisation, disadvantage and hardship, WACOSS has a particular interest in the adequacy of living standards and quality of life experienced by Western Australians on low incomes.
In preparing this submission, WACOSS has carefully considered the information typically submitted to the Commission each year and the issues to be considered by the Commission per section 50A of the Industrial Relations Act 1979.
This year, we want to ensure the Commission is equipped with a meaningful and holistic understanding of the experience and needs of low waged workers. We have relied on the best available data and worked with people living on low wages to bring real world context to the discussion.
Through exploring the declining purchasing power of the minimum wage and providing real accounts from low paid workers, this submission describes:
- the standard of living experienced by low waged workers (s50(3)(a)(iii) & (iv));
- whether the minimum wage meets the needs of low waged workers (s50(3)(a)(ii)); and
- gender equity in the context of low pay (s50A(3)(vii)).
WACOSS endorses UnionsWA’s submission, which expertly analyses other issues to be considered by the Commission, particularly the health of the wider economy and the changing economic and work environment for low-waged workers.
