As the cost of living bites- Rate hikes for nurses can’t come soon enough

A 3.5% increase to the National Minimum Wage and Award rates has been mandated effective 1 July of this year.

It is encouraged that all nurses review the current Award they are on to assess that the rate increase has been passed on as per law.

The Fair Work Commission has handed down it’s findings after reviewing submissions, comments from a host of representatives and looking at the state of the Australian economy.

Tellingly, in the Annual Wage Review 2025 the Expert Panel has outlined increases for all minimum wages for employees in the national system.

Is it enough?

While this has been done annually to attempt to keep in touch with market conditions and facilitate a fair and steady rate of compensation, particularly for front-line nursing staff many have been feeling the pinch as inflation has soared.

For nurses in grueling work conditions, trying to keep up with run-away grocery, electricity and basic goods’ prices has felt overwhelming and helpless.

Others are covered too

The scope and jurisdiction of the changes to minimum rates of pay do not just fall to those covered by a modern award of a transitional instrument.

The Fair Work Commission and it’s Expert Panel also seek to provide increased minimum guarantee of pay for those not covered by an agreement or an award. This helps to safeguard those that are particularly vulnerable in our economy.

How it works

Any nurse working under an Award should see the pay increase of 3.5% as of 1 July 2025. The rise in pay will make its way through the whole Award system.

–        The Nurses Award 2020 covers: AINs, ENs, RNs and midwives

–        The Aged Care Award 2010 covers: direct care workers

Of note, the Award rate minimum usually sets the rate of pay for staff. If an employee is paid at the Award rate, it will directly rise by 3.5% on 1 July. If an employee is paid more than the Award rate then there will likely be an increase to keep in line with the minimum increase, however it is not a mandatory change.

Across the health care and aged care sector, many nurses, midwives and direct care workers will be on rates elevated to the award, this means that there is not a mandated increase but likely a move increase to keep in line with the shift in the minimum.

Key Examples – Award – Nurses: Non Aged Care

–        An experienced nursing assistant, with a relevant certificate III will rise from $27.17 to $28.12 p/h or $1032.30 to $1068.40 p/w

–        At pay point 5, EN, will see an increase from $29.11 to $30.13 p/h or $1106.10 to $1144.80 p/w

–        An RN at level 1, will experience $35.57 to $36.82 p/h or $1351.70 to $1,399.00 p/w

Key Examples – Award – Nurses: Aged Care

–        ENs that are in the role of supervising direct staff will see $34.25 to $35.45 p/h or $1301.60 p/w to $1347.20 p/w

–        A Nurse Practitioner in their first year will experience $52.39 to $54.23 p/h or $1991.00 to $2060.70 p/w

Mandatory and discretionary increases

It is only if your agreement rate falls beneath the award rate minimum increase, that an employer is mandated to increase your rate. For those on Enterprise Agreements, where rates are higher than the minimum, only discretionary increases are to be seen.

Nursing experts are encouraging all those approaching the negotiation stage of an upcoming enterprise agreement, to utilise the 3.5% increase as a benchmark calculation to facilitate discussion in reaching a new bargaining outcome.