Amusement, Events and Recreation Award pay rates
Award code MA000080, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 11 adult classifications under the Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2020, from 1 July 2026: $25.74 to $39.76 an hour before tax. Casuals get a 25% loading on top.
Lowest adult rate
$25.74an hour
For Introductory level employee. $978.10 for a full-time week. Up 6.01% from $24.28. Casuals get $32.18 an hour, with the 25% loading.
Its lowest adult rate is $25.74 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 71 have a higher minimum. The dashed line is the minimum wage; each tick is another award.
Pay by classification
Dollars an hour, from 1 July 2026- Introductory level employee$25.74
- Grade 1$26.44
- Grade 2$27.08
- Grade 3$27.97
- Grade 4$29.45
- Grade 5$30.38
- Grade 6$31.29
- Grade 7$32.13
- Grade 8$33.77
- Grade 9$37.39
- Grade 10$39.76
Hover or tap a row for last year's rate. Every rate, in every unit, is in the tables below.
Penalty rates at a glance
Percent of the ordinary rate, and dollars an hour at Introductory level employee.
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$25.74 | 125%$32.18 |
| Sunday | 150%$38.61 | 175%$45.05 |
| Public holiday | 250%$64.35 | 275%$70.79 |
Minimum pay by classification from 1 July 2026
Weekly rates are for a full-time week; hourly rates apply to full-time and part-time hours. Casual hourly adds the 25% loading.
| Classification | Weekly | Hourly | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory level employee | $978.10 | $25.74 | $32.18 |
| Grade 1 | $1,004.90 | $26.44 | $33.05 |
| Grade 2 | $1,029.10 | $27.08 | $33.85 |
| Grade 3 | $1,062.90 | $27.97 | $34.96 |
| Grade 4 | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Grade 5 | $1,154.30 | $30.38 | $37.98 |
| Grade 6 | $1,189.20 | $31.29 | $39.11 |
| Grade 7 | $1,221.10 | $32.13 | $40.16 |
| Grade 8 | $1,283.10 | $33.77 | $42.21 |
| Grade 9 | $1,420.90 | $37.39 | $46.74 |
| Grade 10 | $1,510.80 | $39.76 | $49.70 |
Penalty and overtime rates
Percentages as the award sets them, and what they come to an hour at the first adult level. Higher classifications get the same percentages of their own rate. The tick on each bar marks 100%, the ordinary rate.
Evenings, weekends and public holidays
Adult employees: Exhibition employees, ordinary and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Grade 2 (General hand)
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$29.02 | 125%$33.85 |
| Public holiday | 200%$58.04 | 200%$54.16 |
Adult employees: other than exhibition employees, ordinary and penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Introductory level employee
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$25.74 | 125%$32.18 |
| Sunday | 150%$38.61 | 175%$45.05 |
| Public holiday | 250%$64.35 | 275%$70.79 |
Overtime
Full-time and part-time adult employees: Exhibition employees, overtime rates
Dollars an hour at Grade 2 (General hand)
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday to Sunday - Work in excess of 76 hours in a 2 week roster cycle - First 24 hours | 150%$43.53 |
| Monday to Sunday - All work in excess of 12 hours per shift or 56 hours in a week | 200%$58.04 |
| Monday to Sunday - Work in excess of 76 hours in a 2 week roster cycle - After 24 hours | 200%$58.04 |
| Public holiday - All hours worked | 200%$58.04 |
Full-time and part-time adult employees: other than exhibition employees, overtime rates
Dollars an hour at Introductory level employee
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday to Sunday - First 3 hours | 150%$38.61 |
| Monday to Sunday - After 3 hours | 200%$51.48 |
| Public holiday | 250%$64.35 |
Juniors, apprentices and other arrangements
Rates that depend on age, training or another arrangement. Open a group to see its rates.
Junior employee ratesJunior ratesClause 16.216 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Grade 117 years | $17.19 |
| Grade 118 years | $19.83 |
| Grade 119 years | $22.47 |
| Grade 1Under 17 years | $14.54 |
| Grade 217 years | $17.60 |
| Grade 218 years | $20.31 |
| Grade 219 years | $23.02 |
| Grade 2Under 17 years | $14.89 |
| Grade 317 years | $18.18 |
| Grade 318 years | $20.98 |
| Grade 319 years | $23.77 |
| Grade 3Under 17 years | $15.38 |
| Introductory level employee17 years | $16.73 |
| Introductory level employee18 years | $19.31 |
| Introductory level employee19 years | $21.88 |
| Introductory level employeeUnder 17 years | $14.16 |
Allowances paid on top
15 allowances are for the work itself, paid when the job calls for it, and 6 cover costs you'd otherwise pay yourself, like meals, laundry or travel. The amounts are the Commission's, in force today; the award sets out exactly who gets each one and when.
For the work
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Flexible loading allowance: Special allowances for exhibition employees | ||
| Full-time and part-time, exhibition technician, flexible loading allowanceCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $79.46 a week | |
| Full-time and part-time, exhibition technician, flexible loading allowanceCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $2.09 an hour | |
| Full-time and part-time, general hand, flexible loading allowanceCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $73.86 a week | |
| Full-time and part-time, general hand, flexible loading allowanceCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $1.94 an hour | |
| Full-time and part-time, supervisory exhibition technician, flexible loading allowanceCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $83.93 a week | |
| Full-time and part-time, supervisory exhibition technician, flexible loading allowanceCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $2.21 an hour | |
| Supervisory loading allowance: Special allowances for exhibition employees | ||
| Full-time and part-time, exhibition technician, supervisory loading allowanceCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $35.81 a week | |
| Full-time and part-time, exhibition technician, supervisory loading allowanceCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $0.94 an hour | |
| Full-time and part-time, supervisory exhibition technician, supervisory loading allowanceCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $71.62 a week | |
| Full-time and part-time, supervisory exhibition technician, supervisory loading allowanceCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b) | $1.88 an hour | |
| Employee in charge of golf links with more than 18 holes, bowling greens or lawn tennis courtsClause 18.2(c) | $59.65 a week | |
| First aid allowance | ||
| HourlyClause 18.2(d) | $0.59 an hour | |
| WeeklyClause 18.2(d) | $22.38 a week | |
| In charge of tractor plant allowance | ||
| HourlyClause 18.2(e) | $0.88 an hour | |
| WeeklyClause 18.2(e) | $33.57 a week | |
To cover costs
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Meal allowance, overtime of 2 or more hoursClause 18.3(b) | $15.22 each time | |
| Tool allowance | ||
| CarpentersClause 18.3(d)(i) | $30.88 a week | |
| Tradesperson (other than Carpenters)Clause 18.3(d)(i) | $15.83 a week | |
| Uniform allowance | ||
| Laundering maximum per week, up toClause 18.3(e)(iii) | $6.80 a week | |
| Laundering, per dayClause 18.3(e)(iii) | $1.36 a day | |
| Vehicle allowance, use of own vehicleClause 18.3(f) | $1.00 a km | |
The award is the final word
These are the minimum rates the Fair Work Commission publishes for the award. Shift rules, rostering and who each classification covers are in the award itself, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay. Employees no award or agreement covers get the National Minimum Wage: $26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026.
Questions people ask
- What is the minimum pay rate under the Amusement, Events and Recreation Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $25.74 an hour ($978.10 a week full time), for Introductory level employee. The highest adult classification is $39.76 an hour. Junior rates, further down, can be lower.
- How does the Amusement, Events and Recreation Award minimum compare?
- Its lowest adult rate is $25.74 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 71 have a higher minimum.
- How much did Amusement, Events and Recreation Award rates go up on 1 July 2026?
- The lowest adult rate rose 6.01%, from $24.28 to $25.74 an hour, in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. The table shows each classification's rate before and after.
- What is the casual loading under the Amusement, Events and Recreation Award?
- 25% on top of the ordinary hourly rate, paid instead of leave entitlements. For Introductory level employee that makes $32.18 an hour.
- What are Sunday rates under the Amusement, Events and Recreation Award?
- Full-time and part-time employees get 150% of the ordinary rate on Sunday: $38.61 an hour at Introductory level employee. Public holidays are 200–250%. Casual rates are in the penalty tables above.
- What allowances are paid under the Amusement, Events and Recreation Award?
- 21 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a flexible loading allowance: Special allowances for exhibition employees, full-time and part-time, exhibition technician, flexible loading allowance of $79.46 a week, a flexible loading allowance: Special allowances for exhibition employees, full-time and part-time, exhibition technician, flexible loading allowance of $2.09 an hour and a flexible loading allowance: Special allowances for exhibition employees, full-time and part-time, general hand, flexible loading allowance of $73.86 a week. The full list, with the clause each comes from, is on this page.
- Where do these rates come from?
- The Fair Work Commission's Modern Awards Pay Database, which publishes every award's minimum rates; we read it when the Commission changes an award. The award itself prevails if the two ever differ, and an enterprise agreement can set different pay.
Source: Fair Work Commission, Modern Awards Pay Database, licensed CC BY 4.0, read 27 Oct 2026 and arranged by The Finance Algorithm. Not endorsed by the Fair Work Commission. Read with the award: if they differ, the award prevails. General information, not legal or payroll advice.