Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Hansard source

The government acknowledges the strong and dedicated workforce supporting senior Australians with in-home care and also residential aged care. Aged-care providers are responsible, together with their staff, to negotiate wages and conditions under enterprise-bargaining legislative provisions, as overseen by the Fair Work Commission.

The Fair Work Commission determines award rates for personal care workers under the Aged Care Award 2010; the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010; and, for nurses, under the Nurses Award 2010. Wage variations exist across employers, providers and jurisdictions. It should also be noted that, after each review of the minimum wage rates in Australia under this government, those rates have increased and that Australia now has the highest minimum wage in the world.

Question agreed to.