Small businesses fear job cuts due to minimum wage increase

Some of the country's lowest paid workers will get a wage rise from the July 1, after a decision by the Fair Work Commission. Unions have welcomed the three per cent increase to wages, or around $21 extra dollars per week, which will benefit more than two million workers. But business groups say the rise will impact negatively on small businesses. The Opposition argues the increase will be diminished by cuts to penalty rates which are also due to come in on July 1.

Representative image of a chef in a restaurant Source: Pixabay