The Federal Government has pledged an additional $1 billion to support the pay rise awarded to workers in the social and community services sector.

 

The additional $1 billion will see the Federal Government contribute a total of #1 billion through to 2021, as part of the phase in period.

 

The funding will help some 150, 000 of Australia’s lowest paid workers benefit from pay rises of between 23 per cent and 45 per cent thanks to the February ruling of Fair Work Australia.

 

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the funding would mean the Federal Government now expects state and territory governments to meet their obligations and commit their share of the required funding.

 

“Employees in our social and community sectors work in some of the most challenging of jobs such as counselling families in crisis, running homeless shelters, working with people with disabilities and with victims of domestic violence or sexual assault,” Ms Gillard said in a statement.

 

“These employees make a real difference to lives of some of our most vulnerable community members and they deserve to be properly rewarded for their efforts,”