KEY POINTS:
Australia's one million lowest paid workers will get a minimum wage rise of between A$5 and A$10 a week, which is a lot less than they were hoping for.
The Australian Fair Pay Commission announced today the latest increases, which are worth two per cent for workers on the federal minimum wage of A$511.86 a week.
Workers on minimum wage rates of up to A$700 a week would receive an increase of A$10.26 from October 1 this year.
The minimum wage rises are much lower than the A$28 a week sought by the ACTU.
The ACTU said earlier that with company profits at historic highs, the case for an increase was stronger than ever.
The minimum wage across the Tasman had been just under A$13.50 an hour, or A$511.86 a week.
In New Zealand, the minimum wage for employees aged 18 years and over is $11.25 an hour, since April this year. That's $90 for an eight hour day, or $450 for a 40 hour week.
The youth minimum wage and the training wage both rose to $9 an hour in April. That's $72 for an eight hour day, and $360 for a 40 hour week.
The youth wage applies to people aged 16 and 17 years.
- RADIO AUSTRALIA, NZHERALD STAFF