Now we know.

Now we know.

The Fair Work Commission's decision yesterday to boost minimum wages has been welcomed by millions of Australian workers. The Commission's annual review found that the national minimum wage, as well as modern award minimum wages should all rise by three point five percent. Now the increase is going to come into effect from the first of July this year. The current national minimum wage is twenty four dollars ten per hour or nine hundred and fifteen dollars ninety per week. Now three point five percent increase is going to increase that to twenty four dollars ninety four an hour, or just over thirty dollars more a week. Joining me on the line is Josh Peak, the secretary of the SDA, the union which represents our retail workers here in the Northern Territory.

The Fair Work Commission's decision yesterday to boost minimum wages has been welcomed by millions of Australian workers. The Commission's annual review found that the national minimum wage, as well as modern award minimum wages should all rise by three point five percent. Now the increase is going to come into effect from the first of July this year. The current national minimum wage is twenty four dollars ten per hour or nine hundred and fifteen dollars ninety per week. Now three point five percent increase is going to increase that to twenty four dollars ninety four an hour, or just over thirty dollars more a week. Joining me on the line is Josh Peak, the secretary of the SDA, the union which represents our retail workers here in the Northern Territory.

Good morning, Josh, good akadie, thank you and me on.

Good morning, Josh, good akadie, thank you and me on.

Yeah, good to have you on the show. Josh. What has the reaction been from workers in the sector following on from yesterday's announcement. I seem to have lost Josh there. Let me just try and get him back on the line, hopefully that is him. Josh, Have I got you there? No, I don't seem to have him there. I'm not too sure what happened with that phone line. So hopefully we're able to get him back on sooner rather than later and find out well how they are feeling, how the workers in the in that sector are feeling. I think I've got him now, let me just try that once more. Just having some issues with the phone line, as I seem to have some days, unfortunately, give it one more go bear with me now that number if you're keen to call me this morning, obviously, always love to hear from you. Eight nine four one one four nine, love to have a chat. Just really struggling to get this line up, so let me just give that one more crack and see if that works for us. Hopefully I've got him. Josh Peek from the SDA, can you hear.

Yeah, good to have you on the show. Josh. What has the reaction been from workers in the sector following on from yesterday's announcement. I seem to have lost Josh there. Let me just try and get him back on the line, hopefully that is him. Josh, Have I got you there? No, I don't seem to have him there. I'm not too sure what happened with that phone line. So hopefully we're able to get him back on sooner rather than later and find out well how they are feeling, how the workers in the in that sector are feeling. I think I've got him now, let me just try that once more. Just having some issues with the phone line, as I seem to have some days, unfortunately, give it one more go bear with me now that number if you're keen to call me this morning, obviously, always love to hear from you. Eight nine four one one four nine, love to have a chat. Just really struggling to get this line up, so let me just give that one more crack and see if that works for us. Hopefully I've got him. Josh Peek from the SDA, can you hear.

Me, aktie, thank you for having me hopefully with working now.

Me, aktie, thank you for having me hopefully with working now.

Thank you for your patience.

Thank you for your patience.

Mate, Gremlin's in the system somehow, so no.

Mate, Gremlin's in the system somehow, so no.

Drama, well love love a tech issue live on radio now, Josh, tell me what's the reaction been from workers in the sector which you represent following yesterday's announcement.

Drama, well love love a tech issue live on radio now, Josh, tell me what's the reaction been from workers in the sector which you represent following yesterday's announcement.

Oh look, it's particularly pleasing and you know, it's about ten thousand retail workers right across the NT that we'll see a benefit from this, and you know, for most of them, you know, for an adult retail worker, it's about a dollar an hour, So you know, it's not we're not talking sheep stations here, but it is going to make a significant difference to those workers to be able to meet the rising cost cost of living. And one I think is really significant about this rises We've obviously gone through a pretty difficult period and particularly with rising costs, and the Commission's been quite cautious throughout that time to make sure that if there are wage increases, they are simply keeping up with the cost of living. But what we've been saying for some time is as inflation begins to forward, is really important that we do focus on the needs of the low even that the Commission starts making decisions to actually give real wage increases. And that's what's happened in this decision. We've got inflation down at about two and a half percent. Now this wage increase at three and a half percent does mean that there's actually more money and workers pockets to begin to close that gap that's been created over the last three or four years.

Oh look, it's particularly pleasing and you know, it's about ten thousand retail workers right across the NT that we'll see a benefit from this, and you know, for most of them, you know, for an adult retail worker, it's about a dollar an hour, So you know, it's not we're not talking sheep stations here, but it is going to make a significant difference to those workers to be able to meet the rising cost cost of living. And one I think is really significant about this rises We've obviously gone through a pretty difficult period and particularly with rising costs, and the Commission's been quite cautious throughout that time to make sure that if there are wage increases, they are simply keeping up with the cost of living. But what we've been saying for some time is as inflation begins to forward, is really important that we do focus on the needs of the low even that the Commission starts making decisions to actually give real wage increases. And that's what's happened in this decision. We've got inflation down at about two and a half percent. Now this wage increase at three and a half percent does mean that there's actually more money and workers pockets to begin to close that gap that's been created over the last three or four years.

Yeah, I mean, is that like, is that sort of what workers have been saying to you that you know that they are just struggling to keep up with the cost of living.

Yeah, I mean, is that like, is that sort of what workers have been saying to you that you know that they are just struggling to keep up with the cost of living.

Oh, look, it's been incredibly tough, and we know that when wages aren't keeping up with the prices. In many cases, the prices of the very products that retail workers are selling are going up higher than their own wages. That means that they've got less less money for a whole range of recreational activities, less ability to pay the power bills. It means that it puts a whole bunch of pressure on their household income. And it has been a really difficult couple of years. So it is really pleasing see the Commission make a significant decision to begin to try to fix that and are giving workers real wage increases as well. And ultimately that benefits everybody because when there's less money in workers pockets, particularly low paid workers pockets, that's money that's not being spent throughout the community at our cafe and our restaurants, and their ability to live a decent life, a lot of pressure on our services and of course on social security as well. So it is pleasing. I think we've got a long way, a long way way to go to repair what's been a pretty difficult global cost of living shock that has really gone through the global economy. But this is a significant first step.

Oh, look, it's been incredibly tough, and we know that when wages aren't keeping up with the prices. In many cases, the prices of the very products that retail workers are selling are going up higher than their own wages. That means that they've got less less money for a whole range of recreational activities, less ability to pay the power bills. It means that it puts a whole bunch of pressure on their household income. And it has been a really difficult couple of years. So it is really pleasing see the Commission make a significant decision to begin to try to fix that and are giving workers real wage increases as well. And ultimately that benefits everybody because when there's less money in workers pockets, particularly low paid workers pockets, that's money that's not being spent throughout the community at our cafe and our restaurants, and their ability to live a decent life, a lot of pressure on our services and of course on social security as well. So it is pleasing. I think we've got a long way, a long way way to go to repair what's been a pretty difficult global cost of living shock that has really gone through the global economy. But this is a significant first step.

I know, you know there is no doubt that many workers are doing it tough and that pay rise is going to be welcome. But I also know that business groups, including the Australian Retailers Association and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, had called for no more than two point five per into, arguing that any more would put too much pressure on employers. Do you have any concerns that the increase could see adverse impacts and that in some cases we might see job cuts.

I know, you know there is no doubt that many workers are doing it tough and that pay rise is going to be welcome. But I also know that business groups, including the Australian Retailers Association and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, had called for no more than two point five per into, arguing that any more would put too much pressure on employers. Do you have any concerns that the increase could see adverse impacts and that in some cases we might see job cuts.

Well, look at the constant balance, and the Fair Work Commission does consider It's one of its key key aims is to make sure that it's giving a wage increase that looks after the needs of the low paid whilst at the same time not doing something that effectively sees unemployment rise. And so it's about getting that balance right. But importantly in that balance we need to remember, you know, when it comes to whose shops in our local communities, who are spending money at small businesses. How do we keep those businesses going In the first place, it is counterproductive from an economic point of view to deliberately effectively in trench low low wage growth or see none of the damage that's been done over the last three years or four years due to the global cost of living sharks fixed. And what that actually means that there's less money for those workers to spend. And when we give pay rises to low paid workers, we know what they do with it. They spend it in their local communities. So I think it's important to ensure that we've got balance in this debate and understand really quick, really clearly that if we end up with a low wage of colomy, or we deliberately entrench low wage growth into our society, what that ultimately means is those workers, those low paid workers are going to be more reliant on the social security system and they're going to spend less money inside those local communities. So I always feel for small business it's really tough running running school businesses, balancing costs.

Well, look at the constant balance, and the Fair Work Commission does consider It's one of its key key aims is to make sure that it's giving a wage increase that looks after the needs of the low paid whilst at the same time not doing something that effectively sees unemployment rise. And so it's about getting that balance right. But importantly in that balance we need to remember, you know, when it comes to whose shops in our local communities, who are spending money at small businesses. How do we keep those businesses going In the first place, it is counterproductive from an economic point of view to deliberately effectively in trench low low wage growth or see none of the damage that's been done over the last three years or four years due to the global cost of living sharks fixed. And what that actually means that there's less money for those workers to spend. And when we give pay rises to low paid workers, we know what they do with it. They spend it in their local communities. So I think it's important to ensure that we've got balance in this debate and understand really quick, really clearly that if we end up with a low wage of colomy, or we deliberately entrench low wage growth into our society, what that ultimately means is those workers, those low paid workers are going to be more reliant on the social security system and they're going to spend less money inside those local communities. So I always feel for small business it's really tough running running school businesses, balancing costs.

I get up.

I get up.

But when we really look look at it from the macro point of view, it is really important that we make sure that we are lifting up the wages of the low paid because it does benefit everybody.

But when we really look look at it from the macro point of view, it is really important that we make sure that we are lifting up the wages of the low paid because it does benefit everybody.

Yeah. Look it is a tough juggle, no doubt about that. Josh Peak, the Secretary of the SDA in the Northern Territory. Good to have a chat with you this morning. Thank you for your time.

Yeah. Look it is a tough juggle, no doubt about that. Josh Peak, the Secretary of the SDA in the Northern Territory. Good to have a chat with you this morning. Thank you for your time.

Thanks so much, Katie, thank you.

Thanks so much, Katie, thank you.