The Western Australian Council of Social Service (WACOSS) warmly welcomes today’s announcement of a 3.5 per cent increase to the national minimum wage, in the latest effort to combat persistently high living costs.
From July 1, the national minimum wage will increase from $24.10 to $24.94 per hour, equivalent to $947.85 per week.
WACOSS Chief Executive Officer Louise Giolitto said the decision by Fair Work Commission (FWC) was a serious step in the right direction towards alleviating cost of living pressures on struggling households.
Ms Giolitto said she hoped the WA Industrial Relations Commission would follow suit and set an above-inflation increase to the State Minimum Wage.
“Today’s announcement was the right decision to make. Those in our community doing it toughest have been battling consecutive years of unsustainably high living costs, and as inflation ran rampant the minimum wage was not being adjusted to alleviate the pressure.
“In our most recent submission to the WA Industrial Relations Commission, WACOSS is calling for a 4.5 per cent increase to the minimum wage that sits above inflation and provides some much needed relief to those who have been hardest hit by the cost of living crisis.
“While the cost of living battle is far from over for too many in Western Australia, we strongly endorse this decision and thank the Federal Labor Government for recommending the minimum wage lift.”
