Research for the Annual Wage Review 2025

We may conduct or commission research as part of the annual wage review. The research program for the Annual Wage Review 2025 (2025 Review) was finalised in a Statement [2024] FWC 3591 on 24 December 2024 following an invitation to interested parties to comment on the draft research program.

In undertaking the research program, a Minimum Wages Research Group is consulted comprising representatives nominated by:

• Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI)
• Australian Industry Group (Ai Group)
• Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS)
• Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)
• Australian Government
• state and territory governments.

Statistical report

This follows the format of previous Statistical reports and is updated throughout the 2025 Review as new data are released. Each version of the Statistical report is available on our website.

Research reference list

This follows the format of previous Research reference lists and includes Australian and international literature, such as working papers, journal articles or other types of published reports relevant to the minimum wages and modern awards objectives. The list covers literature published following the Annual Wage Review 2023–24 and is updated throughout the 2025 Review.

A profile update of employee characteristics on modern awards

Following the publication of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Survey of Employee, Earnings and Hours (EEH) microdata for the reference period May 2023, the report updates some of the analysis undertaken in the report 'A profile of employee characteristics across modern awards' that used EEH microdata for May 2021 and also presents analysis relating to the low paid, juniors and pay equity.

Award-reliant employees in the household income distribution: an update

The report updates previous research undertaken by the Commission on 'Award-reliant workers in the household income distribution' using recent data from the latest Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey. The research provides insight into the location and characteristics of award-reliant employees across the employee household income distribution. As an extension to this research, a focus on employees who are both low-paid and award-reliant is included.

History of the Aircraft Cabin Crew Award 2020

In the Annual Wage Review 2023–24 decision, the Expert Panel announced that the Fair Work Commission would conduct research into the history of the Aircraft Cabin Crew Award 2020. This research identifies, as far as possible from available materials, the origin of classifications and minimum rates in the Aircraft Cabin Crew Award 2020. The history traces the development of significant pre-modern awards, identifying wage-fixing and/or work value assessments and notes where variations were made by consent.

How have households in financial stress coped with the rising cost of living?

The rise in the cost of living may have varying impacts on households at different points of the income distribution. Using data including from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, the research will analyse if, and how, employee households across the distribution have adapted to the higher cost of living in recent years. Responses by these households may be through changes to expenditure patterns or changes in income through job switching or taking on multiple jobs. A focus of the research will be on those households considered to be in financial stress, as identified in the Statistical report.

Access to secure work: evidence from Australia

The Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs Better Pay) Act made changes to the objects of the Fair Work Act, as well as the modern awards objective and minimum wages objective. The reference to ‘job security’ was considered and applied in the Annual Wage Review 2022–23. This research will consider indicators of and trends in secure work in Australia.

Business performance and characteristics

We will engage with the Australian Bureau of Statistics to explore opportunities to use and link various data sources to undertake research topics that focus on the characteristics and performance of businesses, in particular, award-reliant businesses, if data permitting. Research proposals and expectant projects will be communicated in due course.

Material from past annual wage review research is also available.