Fair Work Commission: minimum wages and the Annual Wage Review
The Fair Work Commission is Australia's national workplace relations tribunal. Each year its Expert Panel conducts the Annual Wage Review, which sets the National Minimum Wage and minimum rates in modern awards from 1 July. It publishes the decision, orders, research and submissions. Fact-checkers use it for claims about minimum wages and award pay rises.
What it publishes
- Annual Wage Review decisions and the National Minimum Wage Order.
- Modern award wage determinations.
- Research and submissions for each review.
- Decisions in workplace disputes, unfair dismissal and enterprise agreements.
Key datasets
- Annual Wage Review 2026
Decision, determinations, order, research and submissions.
- Annual Wage Review 2026 announcement
Summary of the decision, including the new minimum wage.
- Decision [2026] FWCFB 3500
Full reasons for the 2026 decision.
- Annual wage reviews (all years)
Past Annual Wage Review decisions and materials.
APIs and downloads
- Annual Wage Review 2026 pagePDF downloads of the decision, order and research reports.
When it publishes
The decision is usually announced in early June and takes effect from 1 July; the 2026 decision was dated 2 June 2026.
How to use it to check a claim
- Check whether a claim is about the National Minimum Wage or modern award rates.
- Quote the hourly and weekly rate and the date it took effect.
- Use the decision's own estimates for how many workers rely on award rates.
Common mistakes
- The National Minimum Wage covers only award- and agreement-free employees in the national system.
- Casual loadings and junior rates are set in awards, not the headline rate.
What is Australia's minimum wage?
$26.44 an hour or $1,004.90 a week from 1 July 2026, according to the Fair Work Commission.
By how much did award wages rise in 2026?
4.75%, effective 1 July 2026, with larger increases for the lowest award classifications.
Questions answered using this source
Links checked 14 October 2026. This page describes what the source publishes and gives no verdict on any claim.