Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Hansard source

I thank Senator Sheldon, who, along with every senator in the Labor team, always stands up for the rights of working Australians. Senator Sheldon is right: earlier this month, the Fair Work Commission handed down the 2026 annual wage review decision. That increased modern award wages by 4.75 per cent and increased the national minimum wage by six per cent from 1 July this year. Importantly for the workers of Australia, this is another real wage increase under the Albanese government, and that will help workers and their families with their cost-of-living pressures.