Today’s announcement of a 5.3% increase to the State minimum wage falls well short of what was necessary to keep up with wages nationally as well as cost of living pressures in WA.
The decision is lower than the 8.6% increase in the national minimum wage and 5.6% in national award wages, which means the State minimum wage at $863.40 is now lower than the national minimum wage of $882.80 per week.
The increase also doesn’t keep up with inflation which currently sits at 5.8% and last year was 7%.
WACOSS CEO Louise Giolitto said today’s increase in the state minimum wage did not go as far as necessary to respond to challenging times.
“WACOSS is disappointed to see the WAIRC has announced an increase to the weekly minimum wage of just 5.3%.
“This means Western Australians earning the state minimum wage will now be paid $19.40 less than those earning the national minimum wage.
“Western Australians have seen a decline in real wages over the last 12 months due to rapidly rising inflation, meaning low-income earners currently do not have enough money to meet the increasing costs of rent, food and electricity.
“Over the past 12 months, median house rents in Perth increased by more than 14.6 per cent and median unit rents by 17.9 per cent. The annual Anglicare Rental Affordability Snapshot found only 5 properties across the whole of Perth that were affordable and appropriate for a single worker on the minimum wage.
“It is not fair that workers bear the brunt of inflation by seeing their wages go backwards, when nothing is being done to rein in massive corporate profits which also drive inflation.
“This decision serves to increase the need for both state and federal governments to do more to help those who are struggling the most.”
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