1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:00,480 Speaker 1: Now we know. 2 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 2: The Fair Work Commission's decision yesterday to boost minimum wages 3 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:08,560 Speaker 2: has been welcomed by millions of Australian workers. The Commission's 4 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:12,239 Speaker 2: annual review found that the national minimum wage, as well 5 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 2: as modern award minimum wages should all rise by three 6 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 2: point five percent. Now the increase is going to come 7 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 2: into effect from the first of July this year. The 8 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 2: current national minimum wage is twenty four dollars ten per 9 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 2: hour or nine hundred and fifteen dollars ninety per week. 10 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 2: Now three point five percent increase is going to increase 11 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 2: that to twenty four dollars ninety four an hour, or 12 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 2: just over thirty dollars more a week. Joining me on 13 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:42,160 Speaker 2: the line is Josh Peak, the secretary of the SDA, 14 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 2: the union which represents our retail workers here in the 15 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:46,239 Speaker 2: Northern Territory. 16 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:49,239 Speaker 1: Good morning, Josh, good akadie, thank you and me on. 17 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:51,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, good to have you on the show. Josh. What 18 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 2: has the reaction been from workers in the sector following 19 00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 2: on from yesterday's announcement. I seem to have lost Josh there. 20 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 2: Let me just try and get him back on the line, 21 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 2: hopefully that is him. Josh, Have I got you there? No, 22 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 2: I don't seem to have him there. I'm not too 23 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 2: sure what happened with that phone line. So hopefully we're 24 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 2: able to get him back on sooner rather than later 25 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:17,840 Speaker 2: and find out well how they are feeling, how the 26 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 2: workers in the in that sector are feeling. I think 27 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 2: I've got him now, let me just try that once more. 28 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 2: Just having some issues with the phone line, as I 29 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:33,039 Speaker 2: seem to have some days, unfortunately, give it one more 30 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 2: go bear with me now that number if you're keen 31 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 2: to call me this morning, obviously, always love to hear 32 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 2: from you. Eight nine four one one four nine, love 33 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 2: to have a chat. Just really struggling to get this 34 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 2: line up, so let me just give that one more 35 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 2: crack and see if that works for us. Hopefully I've 36 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 2: got him. Josh Peek from the SDA, can you hear. 37 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: Me, aktie, thank you for having me hopefully with working now. 38 00:01:57,880 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 2: Thank you for your patience. 39 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: Mate, Gremlin's in the system somehow, so no. 40 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 2: Drama, well love love a tech issue live on radio now, Josh, 41 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 2: tell me what's the reaction been from workers in the 42 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 2: sector which you represent following yesterday's announcement. 43 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: Oh look, it's particularly pleasing and you know, it's about 44 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: ten thousand retail workers right across the NT that we'll 45 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: see a benefit from this, and you know, for most 46 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,359 Speaker 1: of them, you know, for an adult retail worker, it's 47 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: about a dollar an hour, So you know, it's not 48 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: we're not talking sheep stations here, but it is going 49 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: to make a significant difference to those workers to be 50 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: able to meet the rising cost cost of living. And 51 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,679 Speaker 1: one I think is really significant about this rises We've 52 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: obviously gone through a pretty difficult period and particularly with 53 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: rising costs, and the Commission's been quite cautious throughout that 54 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: time to make sure that if there are wage increases, 55 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: they are simply keeping up with the cost of living. 56 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: But what we've been saying for some time is as 57 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: inflation begins to forward, is really important that we do 58 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 1: focus on the needs of the low even that the 59 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 1: Commission starts making decisions to actually give real wage increases. 60 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: And that's what's happened in this decision. We've got inflation 61 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: down at about two and a half percent. Now this 62 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: wage increase at three and a half percent does mean 63 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 1: that there's actually more money and workers pockets to begin 64 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:20,079 Speaker 1: to close that gap that's been created over the last 65 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: three or four years. 66 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, is that like, is that sort of 67 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 2: what workers have been saying to you that you know 68 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 2: that they are just struggling to keep up with the 69 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 2: cost of living. 70 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 1: Oh, look, it's been incredibly tough, and we know that 71 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: when wages aren't keeping up with the prices. In many cases, 72 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: the prices of the very products that retail workers are 73 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 1: selling are going up higher than their own wages. That 74 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: means that they've got less less money for a whole 75 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: range of recreational activities, less ability to pay the power bills. 76 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: It means that it puts a whole bunch of pressure 77 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: on their household income. And it has been a really 78 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 1: difficult couple of years. So it is really pleasing see 79 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: the Commission make a significant decision to begin to try 80 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: to fix that and are giving workers real wage increases 81 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: as well. And ultimately that benefits everybody because when there's 82 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: less money in workers pockets, particularly low paid workers pockets, 83 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: that's money that's not being spent throughout the community at 84 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: our cafe and our restaurants, and their ability to live 85 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 1: a decent life, a lot of pressure on our services 86 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: and of course on social security as well. So it 87 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: is pleasing. I think we've got a long way, a 88 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,280 Speaker 1: long way way to go to repair what's been a 89 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: pretty difficult global cost of living shock that has really 90 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 1: gone through the global economy. But this is a significant 91 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 1: first step. 92 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 2: I know, you know there is no doubt that many 93 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 2: workers are doing it tough and that pay rise is 94 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 2: going to be welcome. But I also know that business groups, 95 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 2: including the Australian Retailers Association and the Australian Chamber of 96 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 2: Commerce and Industry, had called for no more than two 97 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 2: point five per into, arguing that any more would put 98 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 2: too much pressure on employers. Do you have any concerns 99 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 2: that the increase could see adverse impacts and that in 100 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:11,840 Speaker 2: some cases we might see job cuts. 101 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: Well, look at the constant balance, and the Fair Work 102 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 1: Commission does consider It's one of its key key aims 103 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 1: is to make sure that it's giving a wage increase 104 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: that looks after the needs of the low paid whilst 105 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: at the same time not doing something that effectively sees 106 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 1: unemployment rise. And so it's about getting that balance right. 107 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: But importantly in that balance we need to remember, you know, 108 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: when it comes to whose shops in our local communities, 109 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 1: who are spending money at small businesses. How do we 110 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 1: keep those businesses going In the first place, it is 111 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 1: counterproductive from an economic point of view to deliberately effectively 112 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: in trench low low wage growth or see none of 113 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:54,679 Speaker 1: the damage that's been done over the last three years 114 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:58,799 Speaker 1: or four years due to the global cost of living 115 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: sharks fixed. And what that actually means that there's less 116 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 1: money for those workers to spend. And when we give 117 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: pay rises to low paid workers, we know what they 118 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 1: do with it. They spend it in their local communities. 119 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 1: So I think it's important to ensure that we've got 120 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: balance in this debate and understand really quick, really clearly 121 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: that if we end up with a low wage of colomy, 122 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: or we deliberately entrench low wage growth into our society, 123 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: what that ultimately means is those workers, those low paid 124 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: workers are going to be more reliant on the social 125 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:35,479 Speaker 1: security system and they're going to spend less money inside 126 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: those local communities. So I always feel for small business 127 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 1: it's really tough running running school businesses, balancing costs. 128 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:43,919 Speaker 2: I get up. 129 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: But when we really look look at it from the 130 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: macro point of view, it is really important that we 131 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: make sure that we are lifting up the wages of 132 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 1: the low paid because it does benefit everybody. 133 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 2: Yeah. Look it is a tough juggle, no doubt about that. 134 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 2: Josh Peak, the Secretary of the SDA in the Northern Territory. 135 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:04,479 Speaker 2: Good to have a chat with you this morning. Thank 136 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 2: you for your time. 137 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, Katie, thank you.