//Preface//
How difficult is it to live on the minimum wage in Australia?
Single people work 38 hours a week, do not take leave unless they are sick, and their income is only enough to cover basic expenses such as rent, food, drink and transportation...
Not to mention those families with children, they simply cannot make ends meet!
#01:
How difficult is it for workers in Australia?
According to News.com.au, A new analysis shows that a full-time worker earning the minimum wage is left with only $29 a week after basic expenses.
A family of four earning the same salary earns 24 Australian dollars less than what they need for living expenses. The shocking analysis was released on Wednesday by Anglicare Australia, an Australian social welfare advocacy group.
Investigators have analyzed the cost of living pressures faced by minimum wage workers across Australia.
Currently, the minimum wage in Australia is AUD 772.60 per week, which means that a worker working 38 hours a week earns an hourly wage of AUD 20.33.
These people have an after-tax income of $678, which they use to cover all their expenses.
(Image: Anglicare Australia)
In a single household currently earning the minimum wage, a person aged under 35 would spend $401 on rent, $113 on transport and $135 on food and drink. Only $29 a week remains.
For a family making minimum wage and caring for two children, the situation is even worse.
After paying $581 in rent, $338 in transport costs, $361 in food and beverage costs and $122 in education fees, they are still $24 short of living expenses per week.
"Single parents will earn $195 less than they need to care for a child and themselves."
(Image: Anglicare Australia)
Spending in the analysis only covers basic weekly living costs. The remaining income after expenses is needed to pay monthly and quarterly bills such as telecommunications and utilities, as well as incidental expenses.
It can be seen that these minimum wage workers have almost no residual income every week.
This also means that they cannot save money and cannot cope with additional instructions.
Anglicare said in the report:
" Our calculations show that workers on the minimum wage in single households are likely to face severe financial stress, with little or no savings buffer.
And those working in couple households may also face similar risks. pressure, or they need to be financially dependent on their partner's income. "
#02:
Australia's minimum wage may rise
This comes after the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) submitted a submission to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) hoping to increase the minimum wage. Increase submissions by 5.5%.
Australia's inflation level over the past year rose to 5.1%, the highest level in 20 years. The
union wants the minimum wage to be increased from A$20.33 an hour to A$21.45, or an annual salary of A$42,384.84.
The Fair Work Commission's annual wage review entered its final stages on Wednesday.
(Image source: News.com.au)
ACTU secretary Sally McManus said at the hearing that soaring inflation has increased the pressure on people's lives.
She said,
" I heard story after story about essential frontline workers who said their rents were rising by $100 a week, with some being forced to move into caravans and shared houses.
A disabled worker told me that she had to have her children help subsidize her rent. "
McManus said she believed some businesses were already paying retail and hospitality workers a 5.5 per cent hourly pay rise, so there was no such thing as being unable to afford the rise.
(Image source: News.com.au)
html The 15.5 per cent pay rise will see the adult minimum wage rise from $20.33 to $21.45 an hour, $772.60 to $815.09 a week and $40,175.20 a year to $42,384.84.
A week ago, Labor leader Anthony Albanese announced his support for a minimum wage Wages are rising, he said:
" People should be able to pay their rent, buy food and live on, and the Fair Work Commission should take that into account when making decisions. Labor has a plan to raise wages. ”
After this news came out, yesterday, Prime Minister Morrison changed from normal and announced that he supported a 5.1% salary increase to keep up with the pace of inflation.
Finally
Australia Inflation is getting more and more serious, and prices , The soaring rents have brought heavy financial pressure to many ordinary people.
The increase in the minimum wage is one of the solutions to alleviate this dilemma.
I hope that the Fair Work Commission can take into account the actual situation and adopt the opinions of the union to let people improve. Wages, improved lives!
