What is the national minimum wage in Australia?

From 1 July 2026, the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for a 38‑hour week. This rate applies to adult employees not covered by an award or registered agreement. Casual employees receive a 25% loading, bringing their minimum to $33.05 per hour. The Fair Work Commission sets this rate each year in the Annual Wage Review.

How do award rates differ from the national minimum wage?

Most employees are covered by a modern award that sets minimum pay rates for their industry or occupation. Award rates are often higher than the national minimum wage and include penalties, allowances, and loadings. For example, some awards have introductory rates that are lower but must not fall below $25.74 per hour (as of 1 July 2026). Always check the specific award using the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Pay Calculator.

Does the Monique Wright salary include superannuation?

Superannuation is paid on top of an employee’s ordinary time earnings. The current super guarantee rate is 12% of gross pay. So if Monique Wright earned a salary of, say, $100,000, her employer would contribute an additional $12,000 to her super fund. The minimum wage figures quoted ($26.44 per hour) are before tax and before super.

Monique Wright Salary: How Minimum Wage Floors and Award Rates Apply

No specific salary for Monique Wright was found in the search results; the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour as of 1 July 2026, but award or agreement rates may be higher.

Understanding the Monique Wright Salary

If you have searched for the Monique Wright salary, you are likely trying to find out how much the television presenter earns. However, public salary figures for individual journalists or presenters are rarely disclosed unless they appear in annual reports or publicly filed contracts. What we can do is explain the legal framework that determines her minimum pay and how it compares with the national floor.

The Legal Minimum: National Minimum Wage

For any employee not covered by an award or enterprise agreement, the Fair Work Commission sets the national minimum wage. From 1 July 2026, that rate is $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week for 38 ordinary hours. Casual employees receive a 25% loading, making the casual minimum $33.05 per hour. These figures are before tax and before the 12% superannuation guarantee that employers must pay on top.

However, it is important to note that not every worker must receive $26.44 an hour. Junior employees (under 21), apprentices, trainees, and employees with disability may be paid a lower special national minimum wage. For example, a 17‑year‑old award‑free junior is entitled to 57.8% of the adult rate, or $15.29 per hour. Award‑free apprentices follow the Miscellaneous Award 2020 rates.

Award Coverage and Higher Rates

Most Australian employees, including many in the media industry, are covered by a modern award. The Fair Work Ombudsman explains that awards set minimum pay rates that are often higher than the national minimum. For instance, the Broadcasting and Recorded Entertainment Award 2020 covers many television and radio presenters. Under that award, a presenter’s minimum classification rate may be significantly above $26.44 per hour, and they may also be entitled to penalty rates for weekend or evening work.

If Monique Wright is employed under an enterprise agreement (a registered agreement between her employer and employees), that agreement can set rates that are higher than the award. Without seeing the specific award or agreement, we cannot give a precise figure for her salary. The Fair Work Commission’s Modern Awards Pay Database provides the calculated minimum rates for each award classification, but it does not list individual salaries.

Survey Averages vs. Legal Minimums

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publishes average earnings data. In May 2026, full‑time adult ordinary‑time earnings were $2,083.70 per week, and all employees (including part‑time and casual) averaged $1,579.20 per week in total earnings. These are survey averages, not legal minimums. A high‑profile presenter like Monique Wright could earn well above the average, but that is a matter of negotiation, not regulation.

How Superannuation Fits In

Whenever discussing pay in Australia, it is essential to remember that superannuation is an employer contribution on top of salary. The super guarantee rate is 12% of ordinary time earnings. So if Monique Wright’s base salary were $100,000, her employer would pay an extra $12,000 into her super fund. The minimum wage figures quoted do not include super.

Using This Site’s Resources

To determine which pay floor applies to a specific role, start with our Rate tables which show the national minimum wage, junior percentages, and casual loadings. For a deeper explanation of how the figures are calculated, see How the figures work. Remember that an award or enterprise agreement can require a higher rate than the national minimum.

Summary

The search for the Monique Wright salary does not return a public figure from the Fair Work Ombudsman, Fair Work Commission, or ABS. What we can confirm is that the legal minimum for an adult award‑free employee is $26.44 per hour, and that any award or agreement covering her role would set a higher floor. Without access to her employment contract or the specific award classification, we cannot provide a precise number. For most workers, the correct minimum is found by identifying the relevant award and classification using the Fair Work Ombudsman’s tools.