What is the minimum pay rate under the Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award?

From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $25.74 an hour ($978.10 a week full time), for Level 1. The highest adult classification is $30.36 an hour.

How much did Cement, Lime and Quarrying 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 Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award?

25% on top of the ordinary hourly rate, paid instead of leave entitlements. For Level 1 that makes $32.18 an hour.

What are Sunday rates under the Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award?

Full-time and part-time employees get 200% of the ordinary rate on Sunday. Public holidays are 250%. Casual rates are in the penalty tables above.

What allowances are paid under the Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award?

17 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a cement and lime industry, Industry disability of $81.52 a week, a quarrying industry, Industry disability of $35.31 a week and a cement and lime industry, Leading hand in charge of, 1 to 5 employees of $43.48 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.

Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award pay rates

Award code MA000055, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.

Minimum pay for 13 adult classifications under the Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award 2020, from 1 July 2026: $25.74 to $30.36 an hour before tax. Casuals get a 25% loading on top.

See every rate Weekend and overtime rates

Lowest adult rate

$25.74an hour

For Level 1. $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

Level 1$25.74
Level 2$26.71
Level 3$27.52
Level 4$28.06
Level 5$28.60
Level 6$29.45
Level 7$30.36

Before 1 JulFrom 1 Jul

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 the first adult level.

Full-time employees and part-time employees: ordinary and penalty rates
When	Rate
Day	100%$27.89
Afternoon	115%$32.07
Night	115%$32.07
Permanent night	130%$36.26
Saturday	150%$41.84
Saturday First 2 hours	150%$40.01
Saturday After 2 hours	200%$53.34
Sunday	200%$55.78
Public holiday	250%$69.73

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.

Cement and lime industryClause 16.1

Classification	Weekly	Hourly	Casual hourly	Hourly before 1 Jul
Level 1	$978.10	$25.74	$32.18	$24.28
Level 2	$1,014.80	$26.71	$33.39	$25.49
Level 3	$1,045.60	$27.52	$34.40	$26.27
Level 4	$1,066.40	$28.06	$35.07	$26.79
Level 5	$1,086.90	$28.60	$35.75	$27.31
Level 6	$1,119.10	$29.45	$36.81	$28.12
Level 7	$1,153.70	$30.36	$37.95	$28.98

Quarrying industryClause 16.2

Classification	Weekly	Hourly	Casual hourly	Hourly before 1 Jul
Grade 1	$978.10	$25.74	$32.18	$24.28
Grade 2	$1,004.90	$26.44	$33.05	$24.95
Grade 3	$1,056.20	$27.79	$34.74	$26.53
Grade 4	$1,086.50	$28.59	$35.74	$27.29
Grade 5	$1,119.10	$29.45	$36.81	$28.12
Grade 6	$1,153.70	$30.36	$37.95	$28.98

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

Full-time employees and part-time employees: ordinary and penalty rates

Dollars an hour at the first adult level

Full-time employees and part-time employees: ordinary and penalty rates
When	Rate
Day	100%$27.89
Afternoon	115%$32.07
Night	115%$32.07
Permanent night	130%$36.26
Saturday	150%$41.84
Saturday First 2 hours	150%$40.01
Saturday After 2 hours	200%$53.34
Sunday	200%$55.78
Public holiday	250%$69.73

Casual employees: ordinary and penalty rates

Dollars an hour at the first adult level

Casual employees: ordinary and penalty rates
When	Rate
Day	125%$34.86
Afternoon	140%$39.05
Night	140%$39.05
Permanent night	155%$43.23
Saturday	175%$48.81
Saturday - First 2 hours	175%$46.67
Saturday - After 2 hours	225%$60.01
Sunday	225%$62.75
Public holiday	275%$76.70

Overtime

Full-time employees and part-time employees: continuous shiftworkers, overtime rates

Dollars an hour at Level 1

Full-time employees and part-time employees: continuous shiftworkers, overtime rates
When	Rate
All overtime	200%$55.78

Full-time employees and part-time employees: other than continuous shiftworkers, overtime rates

Dollars an hour at Level 1

Full-time employees and part-time employees: other than continuous shiftworkers, overtime rates
When	Rate
Monday - Saturday First 2 hours	150%$41.84
Monday - Saturday After 2 hours	200%$55.78
Sunday	200%$55.78

Full-time employees and part-time employees: overtime rates

Dollars an hour at Grade 1

Full-time employees and part-time employees: overtime rates
When	Rate
Monday, Saturday - First 2 hours	150%$40.01
Monday, Saturday - After 2 hours	200%$53.34
Sunday	200%$53.34

Allowances paid on top

12 allowances are for the work itself, paid when the job calls for it, and 5 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

Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award allowances for the work
Allowance	Amount	Clause
Cement and lime industry
Industry disabilityCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b)	$81.52 a week	18.2(b)
Leading hand in charge of, 1 to 5 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(c)(i)	$43.48 a week	18.2(c)(i)
Leading hand in charge of, 17 or more employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(c)(i)	$81.52 a week	18.2(c)(i)
Leading hand in charge of, 6 to 16 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(c)(i)	$62.50 a week	18.2(c)(i)
First aidCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(d)	$28.26 a week	18.2(d)
Quarrying industry
Industry disabilityCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(b)	$35.31 a week	18.2(b)
Leading hand in charge of, 1 or 2 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(c)(ii)	$23.69 a week	18.2(c)(ii)
Leading hand in charge of, 3 to 6 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(c)(ii)	$33.03 a week	18.2(c)(ii)
Leading hand in charge of, 6 to 10 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(c)(ii)	$41.07 a week	18.2(c)(ii)
Leading hand in charge of, more than 10 employeesCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(c)(ii)	$65.19 a week	18.2(c)(ii)
Leading hand in charge of, processing plantCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(c)(ii)	$23.69 a week	18.2(c)(ii)
First aidCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 18.2(d)	$20.64 a week	18.2(d)

To cover costs

Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award allowances to cover costs
Allowance	Amount	Clause
Vehicle allowanceClause 18.3(a)	$1.00 a km	18.3(a)
Meal allowance, overtimeClause 18.3(b)(i)	$19.02 a meal	18.3(b)(i)
Travel board and lodging, mealsClause 18.3(l)(ii)	$19.02 a meal	18.3(l)(ii)
Reasonable board and lodging
Cement and lime industryClause 18.3(l)(iii)	$626.23 a week	18.3(l)(iii)
Quarrying industryClause 18.3(l)(iii)	$626.59 a week	18.3(l)(iii)

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.

Read the Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award at Fair Work Fair Work pay calculator Check a payslip

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Questions people ask

What is the minimum pay rate under the Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award?: From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $25.74 an hour ($978.10 a week full time), for Level 1. The highest adult classification is $30.36 an hour.
How does the Cement, Lime and Quarrying 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 Cement, Lime and Quarrying 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 Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award?: 25% on top of the ordinary hourly rate, paid instead of leave entitlements. For Level 1 that makes $32.18 an hour.
What are Sunday rates under the Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award?: Full-time and part-time employees get 200% of the ordinary rate on Sunday. Public holidays are 250%. Casual rates are in the penalty tables above.
What allowances are paid under the Cement, Lime and Quarrying Award?: 17 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a cement and lime industry, Industry disability of $81.52 a week, a quarrying industry, Industry disability of $35.31 a week and a cement and lime industry, Leading hand in charge of, 1 to 5 employees of $43.48 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.