Paul1405,
put your money where your mouth is & pay the rates your ruinions want us to pay.

It seems that nothing less than a return to serfdom or slavery will satisfy employers.

Despite the never-ending claim, cutting wage costs does NOT result in job creation - only increased profits.
The same could be achieved by increasing sales, but cutting costs is much easier.

However it is ultimately the spending power of their own customers they are cutting back on.

The post-WW2 productivity boom was the result of workers being paid fair rates of pay and driving the economy with their spending.

Now insatiable corporate greed is putting pressure on wages and their paid political sponsors are very eager to carry out their demands.

When exploitation and conditions fall to an intolerable level, bad things happen to societies, as history has shown many times before.

Without any data to back them up, hysterical claims of the sky falling because of 37cents/hour are a bit excessive, considering that wages have fallen far behind inflation for several years.

Rache,

That's not true, how else do think the Egyptians got a 100,000 slaves to build the pyramids, award wages? Besides its a fact the 'Usual Suspects' have heaps of unfilled positions right at this moment, butlers, footmen, scullery maids, washer women, lots more like jobs. However I must warn you, only the "top" people will be getting that elusive five bucks a day, and 20 year old's need not apply! What do you think these people are, Mother Teresa? LOL.

....considering that wages have fallen far behind inflation for several years

Rache, you're not serious are you. With wage increases usually every year and a least 3%, if not more. So if wage increases are below inflation, it would be a case of you splitting hairs.

Paul, firstly I didn't bother correcting my typo, because I thought anyone with half a brain would have known what I meant. Perhaps I over estimated you.

The whole problem in this country is workers all too often get paid for how long a job takes, not how many jobs they get done in a day. The result often being that the poorest worker sets the bar, and strong workers back off, because they adopt the attitude of, why bother. What a great attitude you and your unions mates have instilled in this country, you should be ashamed of yourselves.

America is, or should I say, was, a prime example, before Obama raised the min wage by some 40% or so.

Now of cause you come from the 'we dont want to be like America side' while where I come from is just how well GOOD workers are paid in America, because they earn it.

The poor worker gets exactly what they deserve in the US the bare minimum.

As for your 'we are in great shape crap', what shape were we in before your beloved K Rudd, Gillard and the greens go hold of the cheque book.

You need to take your head out of the sand Paul, so you can realize just what a fine mess you helped to create with your unconditional support of the worst government in modern history.

We are staing down the barrel of an economic train wreck, but you just can't see it can you.

Paul,

Posts like that cement the reputation of the Greens as Canberra's village idiots.

School leavers presently and historically make up a disproportionate number of the unemployed. Employers always look for work experience and references, which youngsters cannot get without employment. The lower minimum wages for a couple of years is an incentive for the employer to take the risk.

The difference between what an 18yr old and a 21 year old earns is small, and for permanent positions is usually zero, and for most not having a family makes getting a foot in the door far more important than a couple of dollars.

If you are going to get your knickers in a twist, you should focus your faux concern on organisations that offer 6 month to 1 year unpaid internships, such as media organisations.

If there is any economic train wreck to happen Abbott will be the instigator. None of the former policies have changed, Abbott and co are happy, and so is everybody else. It's the wingers that are penny pinching, and all of this started with .37 cents / hour.
Abbott's red tape scam, is destined to do nothing. Red tape is rules and regulation, without that the place would be a shambles.