RICHARD MARLES MP
ACTING PRIME MINISTER|
MINISTER FOR DEFENCE

JIM CHALMERS MP
TREASURER

CATHERINE KING MP
MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

AMANDA RISHWORTH MP
MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

SAM RAE MP
MINISTER FOR AGED CARE AND SENIORS

The Albanese Government is today delivering a fifth increase to award wages to the dedicated nurses who provide aged care services to older Australians.

This is good for workers, good for the economy, helps with the cost of living and will deliver better care for older Australians receiving aged care services.

Nurses in aged care deliver the very best care for our loved ones, but their work was undervalued under a decade of Liberal neglect. Every worker in the sector should be able to have a long, fulfilling career supported by strong and sustainable wages growth and that’s exactly why Labor has acted.

Today’s increase means that, since 2022, a Registered Nurse on level 2 pay point 3, the most common level amongst Registered Nurses, will have seen their pay increase more than $36,000 a year.

An enrolled nurse on the most common level and pay point will have seen their wage increase by almost $32,000 per year.

This is the final increase following the Fair Work Commission Aged Care Work Value Case, bringing Labor’s total investment in aged care wages to almost $18 billion.

Our Government put gender equality at the heart of the Fair Work Act, and we now see the Gender Pay Gap is at its equal lowest level on record, and Australian women are now earning more than $250 a week more on average, than they were before we came to government.

In recognition of the crucial role the 400,000 strong workforce plays in delivering safe and quality care to our loved ones, the Albanese Government has invested more than any previous Government to ensure aged care workers are equipped and compensated appropriately to deliver the world-class care our parents and grandparents deserve.

Labor's economic plan is designed to help Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn and that’s why we have acted to boost wages and close the gender pay gap.

More information is available on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website: www.health.gov.au/topics/aged-care-workforce/what-were-doing/better-and-fairer-wages.

As at 1 August 2026