As the times have changed, so too has the minimum wage . Ten years ago, it was $17.70 per hour — and in 1966, it was a single dollar an hour. It’s almost inconceivable to think such a low amount was deemed a liveable income.
Here’s how far we’ve come in the sixy years since Australia’s $1/hour minimum wage.
1966 – $36.37 per week (averaged across states and territory)
“The Batman” television series starring Adam West makes its debut. And on 14 February the Australian currency officially changed from the British imperial system of pounds, shillings, and pence to the dollar/cent system
1969 – $42.65 per week (averaged across states and territory)
Neil Armstrong becomes the first man on the moon, The Beatles release “Abbey Road”.
1972 – $51.35 per week (averaged across states and territory)
Gough Whitlam becomes the 21st Prime Minister, Watergate Scandal.
1976 – $100.70 per week
Medibank Private is established, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak form Apple Computers.
1985 – $167.50 per week
Live Aid, Michael Jordan is named NBA Rookie of the Year.
1989 – $214.29 per week
Tiananmen Square, Toyota company launches Lexus brand.
1995 – $284.45 per week
Qantas becomes a private company, Microsoft releases Windows 95.
1999 – $385.40 per week
The UK surrenders the sovereignty of Hong Kong, Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace is released in cinemas.
2005 – $484.40 per week
World population reaches 6.5 billion, YouTube is founded.
2009 – $543.78 per week
Barack Obama becomes the 44th President of the United States, Fair Work Ombudsman is established.
2012 – $606.40 per week
London hosts the Summer Olympics, “Curiosity” Mars rover successfully lands.
2018 – $719.20 per week
Scott Morrison successfully challenges Malcolm Turnbull to become the 30th Prime Minister, France wins the FIFA World Cup.
2020 - $753.80 per week
The Covid19 pandamic closed businesses and stopped international and domestic travel. The vast majority of the population was forced to work from home, changing the way many businesses operate today with hybrid working.
2022 - $812.60 per week
November 30, 2022, OpenAI releases ChatGPT to the public. The 2022 Winter Olympics are held in Beijing, China, making it the first city ever to host both the Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics.
2024 - $915.90 per week
NASA engineers successfully repair and recode Voyager 1 from 15 billion miles away after five month gap in not receiving data. Nvidia overtakes Microsoft to become the world's most valuable company at $3.34 trillion.
2025 - $948 per week
Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States of America. Labor government led by Anthony Albanese, wins re-election in Australian federal election
2026 - $TBA
After the new minimum wage is announced it will be effective from 1 July 2026
If you need help understanding the Minimum Wage changes or how that impacts your business, reach out to Peninsula or give us a call at 1300 651 415.
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute as business or legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. It does not take into consideration your specific business, industry or circumstances. You should seek legal or other professional advice regarding matters as they relate to you or your business. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Peninsula Group disclaim all liability for any errors or omissions contained in this information or any failure to update or correct this information. It is your responsibility to assess and verify the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of the information in this article.
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