The Australian Government is today delivering a fourth increase in award wages to the dedicated workers who provide aged care services to older Australians.
This is good for workers, good for the economy and will help with the cost of living.
Workers in aged care deliver the very best care for our loved ones, but their work has been undervalued for too long and every worker in the sector should be able to have a long, fulfilling career supported by strong and sustainable wages growth.
Today’s increase means an extra $60.20 per week for a registered nurse, on level 2, pay point 3 of the award, which is the most common level amongst registered nurses. On top of our previous increase to aged care wages, they will be more than $28,000 a year better off under the Albanese Government.
Enrolled nurses will see a bump in their pay by $62.40 per week (for a level 2 award) and personal care workers will also benefit from this increase by $39.50 per week (for a level 3 award).
We’ll increase aged care wages even further next year, with the next boost coming on 1 August for registered and enrolled nurses.
In recognition of the crucial role workers and nurses play in delivering safe and quality care to our loved ones, Labor’s total investment amounts to $17.7 billion in order to support the Fair Work Commission’s case to increase award wages for 400,000 workers in the aged care sector.
Our economic plan is designed to help Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn and that’s why we are acting to boost wages and close the gender pay gap.
When we came to office annual real wages were going badly backwards, but now they have grown for seven consecutive quarters.
More information is available on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website: Better and fairer wages for aged care workers
Quotes attributable to Treasurer, Jim Chalmers
"Aged care workers do an incredible job and they deserve every dollar of this pay rise that we're delivering.
“This investment recognises the big contribution that aged care workers make to our economy and community and will help to create a bigger incentive for young Australians looking for a rewarding career, to pick aged care in the future.
“Under Labor, real wages are up, inflation is down, unemployment is low, living standards are growing and people are earning more and keeping more of what they earn.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Amanda Rishworth
“The government put gender equality at the heart of the Fair Work Act, and we now see the gender pay gap is at its equal lowest level on record, and Australian women are now earning more than $250 a week more on average, than they were before we came to government.
“Reducing the gender pay gap was one of the key reasons the government funded the 15 per cent pay increase for aged care carers. The Fair Work Commission recognised the historical gender-based undervaluation of work in aged care, leading to significant wage increases that our government funded.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, Sam Rae
“Aged care workers deserve better pay and more recognition for the meaningful work they do. We’re proud to be funding the largest ever increase to award wages in a work value case for people who care for our loved ones with such compassion.
“After a decade of decay under the Coalition, aged care workers were systematically underpaid and undervalued. That ended with the Albanese Labor Government – and this latest pay rise builds on our work to close the gender pay gap and get wages moving.”