Introduction
We are reviewing modern award classifications and minimum wage rates on work value grounds to remedy potential gender-based undervaluation, starting with 5 priority awards.
Content
Content
The Expert Panel for pay equity in the care and community sector has issued its initial decision in the Gender-based undervaluation – priority awards review:
- the Decision Summary of the Gender-based undervaluation decision (pdf)
- the Decision [2025] FWCFB 74 (pdf)
- the Determination for the Pharmacy Industry Award 2020 PR786095 (pdf)
The Expert Panel made conclusive findings in relation to the Pharmacy Industry Award 2020 (AM2025/19), and expressed provisional views in relation to the remaining 4 awards.
Members of the Expert Panel are conducting conferences for each of the 4 remaining awards. The outstanding issues vary between awards.
Please refer to the notices of listing and other material published in the 'Documents' section below for all details in relation to each matter.
Awards being considered
We started this process to consider making changes (variations) to certain classifications and minimum wage rates in the following modern awards:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award 2020 – AM2024/22
- Children’s Services Award 2010 – AM2024/23
- Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 – AM2024/20
- Pharmacy Industry Award 2020 – AM2024/19
- Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 – AM2024/21, AM2024/25, AM2024/27
The proceedings follow the Annual Wage Review 2023-24 decision, which identified that the above 5 awards require priority consideration as to whether they have been the subject of gender-based undervaluation.
PLEASE NOTE:
Applications made by the Australian Services Union, Australian Workers Union, Heath Services Union and United Workers Union (AM2024/25) and Australian Services Union (AM2024/27) to change the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 were dealt with in part by the Expert Panel in its initial Decision [2025] FWCFB 74.
List of issues
A list of Issues considered in this case was published in a Statement issued by the Expert Panel on 24 June 2024, following consultation with parties. It can be found here: [2024] FWCFB 291 (pdf)
Get involved
The Expert Panel for pay equity in the care and community sector undertook extensive consultation for this Review between July 2024 and December 2024. During this period, interested parties and/or individuals had opportunities to lodge written submissions and evidence, attend conferences, review other parties’ submissions, and otherwise engage with proceedings.
Following this consultation period, the Expert Panel issued its initial Decision [2025] FWCFB 74 on 16 April 2025 which expressed a number of provisional views.
Please refer to the directions, notices of listing and other material published in the 'Documents' section below for details and any next steps in relation to each award.
Any submissions and/or material to be considered by the Expert Panel in this case should be filed pursuant to directions.
We welcome submissions made pursuant to directions from individuals, organisations, academics, and any other interested party.
You can use our submission coversheet and template to help you prepare your submission.
We publish all submissions and correspondence on our website.
Submissions should be sent to awards@fwc.gov.au.
Subscribe to updates
Content
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You can also subscribe to the 'All matters' list for any of the relevant Awards.
Timetable
PLEASE NOTE: only some material relevant to each matter is linked in this section. Please see the 'Documents' section below for all documents relating to this case.
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| 31 October 2025 | Materials in reply due - Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (AM2024/20) (Pathology collectors and health professionals) |
| 13 October 2025 | Further directions hearing - Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (AM2024/20) Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (AM2024/21, AM2024/27) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award 2020 (AM2024/22) Children’s Services Award 2010 (AM2024/23) |
| 3 October 2025 | Materials in reply due - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award 2020 (AM2024/22) Children’s Services Award 2010 (AM2024/23) Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (AM2024/20) (Dental assistants) |
| 12 September 2025 | Materials due - Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (AM2024/20) (Pathology collectors and health professionals) |
| 5 September 2025 | Materials due - Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (AM2024/21, AM2024/27) |
| 29 August 2025 | Materials due - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award 2020 (AM2024/22) Children’s Services Award 2010 (AM2024/23) Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (AM2024/20) (Dental assistants) |
| 12 August 2025 | Conference - Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (AM2024/20) (Dental assistants) |
| 15 July 2025 | Listed for directions (2:00 PM) - Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (AM2024/20) Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (AM2024/21, AM2024/27) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award 2020 (AM2024/22) Children’s Services Award 2010 (AM2024/23) View Notice of listing - 15 July 2025 and Draft directions
Listed for conference (8:30 AM) - Children’s Services Award 2010 (AM2024/23) |
| 9 July 2025 | Conference - Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (AM2024/20). View Notice of listing - 9 July 2025, Statement [2025] FWCFB 113 and Draft determination. |
| 8 July 2025 | Conference - Children's Services Award 2010 (AM2024/23). |
| 7 July 2025 | Conference - Children's Services Award 2010 (AM2024/23). |
| 30 June 2025 | Conference - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award 2020 (AM2024/22). View Amended Notice of listing and directions -30 June 2025 and Transcript - 30 June 2025 See also: Statement [2025] FWC 1567 and Draft determination on matter page Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award 2020 (AM2025/2). |
| 24 June 2025 | Conference - Children's Services Award 2010 (AM2024/23). |
| 17 June 2025 | Conference - Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (AM2024/21). View Notice of listing and directions - 4 and 17 June 2025, Discussion paper and Video link for conference. |
| 10 June 2025 | Conference - Children's Services Award 2010 (AM2024/23). |
| 4 June 2025 | Conference - Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (AM2024/21). View Notice of listing and directions - 4 and 17 June 2025, Discussion paper, Video link for observing conference and Transcript - 4 June 2025. |
| 20 May 2025 | Conference - Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (AM2024/20). View Notice of listing and directions - 20 May 2025 and Transcript - 20 May 2025. |
| 16 April 2025 | Initial decision issued by the Expert Panel. View Decision [2025] FWCFB 74 and Decision summary [2025] FWCFB 74. |
| 19-20 December 2024 | Hearing - all awards. |
| 11-18 December 2024 | Hearing - Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (AM2024/20). |
| 10 December 2024 | Hearing - Pharmacy Industry Award 2020 (AM2024/19) Hearing - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award 2020 (AM2024/22) Hearing - Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (AM2024/20). |
| 9 December 2024 | Hearing - Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (AM2024/21, AM2024/25, AM2024/27) Hearing - Children's Services Award 2010 (AM2024/23). |
| 6 December 2024 | Hearing - Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (AM2024/21, AM2024/25, AM2024/27). |
| 5 December 2024 | Hearing - Children's Services Award 2010 (AM2024/23) Hearing - Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020 (AM2024/20). |
| 2-4 December 2024 | Hearing - Children's Services Award 2010 (AM2024/23). |
| 27 November 2024 | Parties to lodge submissions and evidence in reply in AM2024/19, AM2024/20, AM2024/22 and AM2023/23. |
| 15 November 2024 | Parties to lodge submissions and evidence in reply in AM2024/21, AM2024/25 and AM2024/27. |
| 7 November 2024 | Directions hearing and programming conference. |
| 18 October 2024 | Parties to lodge submissions and evidence, and any agreed statements of facts, concerning the identified issues in AM2024/19, AM2024/20 and AM2024/22. |
| 11 October 2024 | Parties to lodge submissions and evidence, and any agreed statements of facts, concerning the identified issues in AM2024/23. |
| 27 September 2024 | Parties to lodge submissions and evidence, and any agreed statements of facts, concerning the identified issues in AM2024/21, AM2024/25 and AM2024/27. |
| July 2024 | Preliminary conferences with parties to ascertain any agreed matters. |
Digital hearing books
Documents
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