The first Minimum Wage Research Forum has been judged a “resounding success” with policymakers, researchers and academics adding to the nation’s knowledge bank on the role of minimum wages in the Australian context. Organised by the Australian Fair Pay Commission, the two-day Forum brought together leading local and international experts and stakeholder organisations to debate the role of minimum wages in Australia. Commission Chair, Professor Ian Harper said the discussion, debate and presentations were all of a high quality.
Adds to nation’s knowledge
Professor Harper said the proceedings from the Forum, including keynote speeches and papers from local researchers would be published to create further discussion and debate on aspects of minimum wage-setting in Australia He said the Commission organised the Forum as it believed research had a central role to play in informing wage-setting and decision-making. “In its brief history, the Commission has established a new approach to setting minimum wages in Australia – an approach that is based on a commitment to evidence based decision making, and draws on information that is gathered through research, consultations and submissions,” Professor Harper said. Forum delegates were addressed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for
Employment and Workplace Relations, Julia Gillard, who spoke about the establishment of a new Minimum Wages Panel within Fair Work Australia. Professor Harper said Ms Gillard’s comments were encouraging as the Fair Work Australia Minimum Wages Panel would be able to commission research to help inform its decisions. He said a key outcome of the Forum was to encourage further research and discussion among academics and stakeholders. “The papers presented at the Forum provide decision makers with an invaluable resource that can be drawn on for future wage-setting decisions,” he said. Further information about the forum was available from www.fairpay.gov.au
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