The federal opposition has joined the call for a higher minimum wage, in its submission to the Fair Work Commission's annual wage review.
Labor says it supports a fair and economically responsible boost, but that increasing the minimum wage cannot be used to offset changes to penalty rates.
Meanwhile, the federal government has argued against a raise, saying it won't help low-paid workers.
It says wage increases that aren't supported by higher productivity or higher prices for customers and consumers will most likely cost jobs.
On Wednesday (march 29), the secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Sally McManus, called for the minimum wage to be increased by 45-dollars-per-week from the current weekly rate of 672-dollars-and-20-cents.
