The Salvation Army welcomes minimum wage increase

The Salvation Army welcomes today’s ruling by the Fair Work Commission which will increase the full time weekly earnings for Australia’s lowest paid workers by 3 percent or $18.70 per week from 1 July this year.

Salvation Army spokesperson, Major Bruce Harmer, says that the increase in the minimum wage is welcome news and is something The Salvation Army fully supports.

"While $18.70 per week might not sound like much to many people, for those who live pay cheque to pay cheque, this increase will be well received," Major Harmer said.

"While acknowledging the good news, we also have to face the reality that those on the minimum wage will continue to struggle even with this wage increase, as shown by our recent Economic and Social Impact survey."

The Salvation Army’s survey of 2485 clients across 237 Salvation Army community support services shows that many are already struggling to afford basic necessities for themselves and their families:

• 1 in 4 is unable to afford a substantial meal at least once a day;
• 28% said they have had to live without heating in at least one room in the house throughout winter;
• 38% of participants did not have regular social contact with people, leading to a feeling of isolation and loneliness, with 47% reporting they were unable to find someone to help them when needed; and
• 91% of respondents had limited or no savings for emergencies.

The Salvation Army calls on Australian governments, business and community groups to work together to help close the gap of economic inequality in this country.