Australia Raises Minimum Wage by 3.5% to $24.94 per Hour

Australia's minimum wage will increase by 3.5 percent to \$24.94 per hour from July 1, 2025, affecting around 3 million workers. The Fair Work Commission made the decision after considering the current inflation rate of 2.4 percent. Last year, the minimum wage increased by 3.75 percent. Business groups had advocated for a 2.5 percent increase, while unions pushed for 4.5 percent. "This decision here today, a 3.5% increase for minimum wage and award wage earners, is pretty much down the middle of what business groups were arguing for and the unions," said an ABC News Australia reporter. The increase is expected to add approximately \$32 to the weekly minimum wage.