In its 2007 general Wage-Setting Decision, the Australian Fair Pay Commission (AFPC) granted a deferral of its 2007 wage increase for farm businesses most severely affected by drought.
The AFPC exempted farm businesses in receipt of an Exceptional Circumstances Interest Rate Subsidy (ECIRS) from paying the general wage increase awarded by the AFPC in 2007. The deferral applied only to classification minimum wages above the standard Federal Minimum Wage (FMW). It did not apply to the standard FMW itself.
On the first pay period on or after 1 October 2008 all farm businesses were required to pay their employees minimum rates of pay, adjusted for both the AFPC's. Details of the Drought Deferral decision can be found in:
Drought deferral decision extracts
Drought deferral amending decision
For Annual Wage Review enquiries please email awr@fwc.gov.au.
For enquiries about wages, award coverage and entitlements go to the Fair Work Ombudsman's website.