Australian Fair Pay Commission

The Australian Fair Pay Commission (AFPC) is an Australian legislative body created under the Howard Government's "WorkChoices" industrial relations law in 2006 to set the minimum rate of pay for workers. Established to replace the wage setting functions of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, the AFPC will set and periodically adjust a single adult minimum wage, non-adult minimum wages (such as training wage), minimum wages for award classification levels and casual loadings.cite web | title=Welcome to the Australian Fair Pay Commission | work=Australian Fair Pay Commission | url=http://fairpay.gov.au/ | accessdate=2006-05-11]

Professor Ian Harper is the inaugural chairman of the AFPC, presiding over 4 commissioners: Mr Hugh Armstrong, Mr Patrick McClure AO, Mr Mike O’Hagan, and Professor Judith Sloan. In a speech to the Centre for Independent Studies titled "Christian Morality and Market Capitalism: Friends or Foes", Harper stated "The market is a means to an end rather than an end in itself" and "The trouble starts when one begins to treat market capitalism itself as a religion". [cite web | title=Economics academic to head Fair Pay Commission | work=ABC Radio National| url=http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2005/s1481851.htm | accessdate=2006-05-11]

The profile of the members of this commission will be different from that of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission which previously had responsibility for determining the above quantities. There will be less representation on behalf of the trade unions, and less transparency in decision-making, making it possible for the Australian Fair Pay Commission to make judgements with no community oversight or consultation. Unlike the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, the commission will fund substantial research on the economic effects of raising the minimum wage, and proponents claim that this will place more of an emphasis on determining whether the economic evidence suggests that raising the minimum wage makes the poor better off.

Critics argue that the board lacks independence and scope and that it will reduce the benefits of workers, while supporters believe that it will stimulate the economy and in turn improve working conditions.

2006 decision

On 26 October 2006, the AFPC handed down its [http://www.fairpay.gov.au/fairpay/MinimumWageDecision/MinimumwagedecisionOctober2006.htm first decision] . The AFPC's media release stated:

The Australian Fair Pay Commission today announced an increase of $27.36 per week in the standard Federal Minimum Wage and in all Pay Scales up to $700 per week. This covers just over one million Australian workers who rely on the Commission’s decisions for adjustments in their wages.

The Commission also awarded an increase of $22.04 per week to all Pay Scales paying $700 per week and above, or more than $36,000 per year, representing another 220,000 workers, about 2% of the workforce.

In hourly terms, the Australian federal minimum wage will increase to $13.47 per hour (for workers on pay scales of less than $700 per week). The decision took effect on 1 December 2006.

Many commentators were surprised that the AFPC's first decision was so large. For example, the Australian Council of Trade Unions had asked for a minimum wage increase of $30 per week. Despite this, the rise barely kept up with inflation since the previous pay rise handed down by the AIRC in June 2005.

2007 decision

On 5 July 2007, the AFPC handed down its second wage decision. The decision increased minimum wages from $13.47 to $13.74 per hour, or $10.26 a week for wages below $700, and by $5.30 for wages above $700. The rise took effect from the first pay period commencing on or after 1 October 2007. This was a change of policy from the AFPCs first decision, which took effect on the 1 December 2007 and was criticised by employer groups for causing difficulties for businesses, which had to implement a pay rise within a pay period. Traditionally, the Australian Industrial Relations Commission implemented wage and allowance rises from the first 'pay period commencing' from a set date.

The AFPC took into account the time period between the inaugural and second wage decisions, and other factors including tax cuts announced in the budget that take effect from 1 July 2007. The AFPC, whilst considering these matters, did not discount the wage increase on account of tax cuts.

Another historic feature of the decision was that for the first time, farmers were granted a deferral from the wage increase on account of severe drought. Incapacity to pay had been argued numerous times over the last twenty five years, for the most part unsuccessfully, before the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. The AFPC's decision granting the deferral was therefore a landmark in the history of industrial relations for the [http://www.nff.org.au National Farmers' Federation] .

Australian trade union reaction to the creation of the AFPC

Australian trade unions view the AFPC as a neo-conservative business-friendly organisation that threatens the basic rights, pay and entitlements of Australian workers. Further, they argue that the FPC will benefit business at the expense of workers. Unions mockingly call the AFPC the Australian Low Pay Commission. Unions view the IRC as independent and wish to keep it as the minimum wage setting body. ACTU's Greg Combet expressed his concern about Professor Harper's ability in an interview with Radio National's Mark Colvin. [http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2005/s1481851.htm Interview with Greg Combet] - PM, ABC Radio National, 13 October , 2005]

References

ee also

* Australian Government
* Australian Labor Party
* Liberal Party of Australia
* ACTU

External links

* [http://fairpay.gov.au/ Official website]