Details of the federal government’s proposal for an aged-care wage rise will be revealed in a submission to the fair work umpire.
A significant and meaningful pay rise for workers in the sector will be advocated for by the government in Monday’s submission, Aged Care Minister Anika Wells said.
The Fair Work Commission is considering whether to lift the pay rates for residential and home-care workers following the findings of the royal commission into aged care.
Labor minister Tanya Plibersek said her government would fund a pay rise increase, should the commission make that ruling to help fix the workforce shortage in aged care.
“The government will find the extra money we need,” she told the Seven Network on Monday.
“You’ve got to think about what aged-care workers are earning at the moment: They’re earning as little as $22 an hour, so you can literally earn more stacking shelves at a supermarket than caring for some of our most vulnerable Australians.
“We can’t find enough staff to work in aged care. One of the reasons is that … they can’t afford to keep working in aged care because can’t pay the bills on 22 bucks an hour.”
While unions are advocating for at least a 25 per cent pay rise for aged-care employees, Ms Wells said the government’s submission would not have a number attached to it.
She said the Albanese government pledged to fund whatever decision the commission came to in relation to aged care wages.
“The kind of work that we want them to do based on the royal commission recommendations for aged care, for a better standard and a better future … is more complex work so they should be recognised for that,” Ms Wells told Sky News on Sunday.
“We need to do something to value aged-care workers better and that starts with a pay rise.”
Ms Wells acknowledged pressures on the federal budget mean any wage increases must be meaningful yet sustainable.
“We have to improve the standard of care but we have to do it in a sustainable way … these reforms have to outlast us all,” she said.
Laws responding to the recommendations of the aged-care royal commission were the first to pass parliament under the new Labor government.
-AAP
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