Journalists Published Media Award pay rates
Award code MA000067, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 13 adult classifications under the Journalists Published Media Award 2020, from 1 July 2026: $32.13 to $61.12 an hour before tax. Casuals get a 25% loading on top.
Lowest adult rate
$32.13an hour
For 1. $1,221.10 for a full-time week. Up 4.73% from $30.68. Casuals get $40.16 an hour, with the 25% loading.
Its lowest adult rate is $32.13 an hour, 21.5% above the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 3 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- 1Band 1$32.13
- 2Band 1$33.04
- 3Band 1$34.46
- 4Band 1$35.38
- 5Band 1$36.30
- 6Band 1$38.16
- 7Band 1$39.83
- 8Band 2$41.69
- 9Band 2$44.46
- 10Band 2$47.24
- 11Band 3$48.63
- 12Band 3$54.65
- 13Band 3$61.12
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 1.
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$32.13 | 125%$40.16 |
| Public holiday | 250%$80.33 | 275%$88.36 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 11 | $1,221.10 | $32.13 | $40.16 |
| Band 12 | $1,255.40 | $33.04 | $41.30 |
| Band 13 | $1,309.50 | $34.46 | $43.08 |
| Band 14 | $1,344.50 | $35.38 | $44.23 |
| Band 15 | $1,379.50 | $36.30 | $45.38 |
| Band 16 | $1,450.20 | $38.16 | $47.70 |
| Band 17 | $1,513.70 | $39.83 | $49.79 |
| Band 28 | $1,584.20 | $41.69 | $52.11 |
| Band 29 | $1,689.40 | $44.46 | $55.58 |
| Band 210 | $1,795.00 | $47.24 | $59.05 |
| Band 311 | $1,848.00 | $48.63 | $60.79 |
| Band 312 | $2,076.60 | $54.65 | $68.31 |
| Band 313 | $2,322.60 | $61.12 | $76.40 |
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
Employees: ordinary and public holiday rates
Dollars an hour at 1
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100%$32.13 | 125%$40.16 |
| Public holiday | 250%$80.33 | 275%$88.36 |
Shiftwork
All other publication employees: morning/afternoon shift and weekend rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| All other publications: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekend shift | 120%$38.56 |
Full-time and part-time employees: All other publication employees, morning/afternoon shift and weekend rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| All other publications: All other shifts - Weekend | 110%$35.34 |
| All other publications: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekday shift | 110%$35.34 |
Full-time and part-time employees: Metropolitan daily newspaper, magazine or wire service employees, shiftwork and weekend rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan daily newspaper, magazine or wire service: All other shifts - Weekend | 110%$35.34 |
| Metropolitan daily newspaper, magazine or wire service: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekday shift | 110%$35.34 |
| Metropolitan daily newspaper, magazine or wire service: Night shift - Weekday shift | 117.5%$37.75 |
| Metropolitan daily newspaper, magazine or wire service: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekend shift | 120%$38.56 |
| Metropolitan daily newspaper, magazine or wire service: Night shift - Weekend shift | 127.5%$40.97 |
Full-time and part-time employees: Regional daily, country non-daily and digital publication employees, shiftwork and weekend rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Country non-daily: All other shifts - Weekend | 110%$35.34 |
| Country non-daily: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekday shift | 110%$35.34 |
| Digital publications: All other shifts - Weekend | 110%$35.34 |
| Digital publications: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekday shift | 110%$35.34 |
| Regional daily: All other shifts - Weekend | 110%$35.34 |
| Regional daily: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekday shift | 110%$35.34 |
| Country non-daily: Night shift - Weekday shift | 115%$36.95 |
| Digital publications: Night shift - Weekday shift | 115%$36.95 |
| Regional daily: Night shift - Weekday shift | 115%$36.95 |
| Regional daily: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekend shift | 120%$38.56 |
| Country non-daily: Night shift - Weekend shift | 125%$40.16 |
| Digital publications: Night shift - Weekend shift | 125%$40.16 |
| Regional daily: Night shift - Weekend shift | 125%$40.16 |
Full-time and part-time employees: Suburban newspaper employees, shiftwork and weekend rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Suburban newspaper: All other shifts - Weekend | 110%$35.34 |
| Suburban newspaper: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekday shift | 110%$35.34 |
| Suburban newspaper: Night shift - Weekday shift | 117.5%$37.75 |
| Suburban newspaper: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekend shift | 120%$38.56 |
| Suburban newspaper: Night shift - Weekend shift | 127.5%$40.97 |
Regional daily, country non-daily and digital publication employees: shiftwork and weekend rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Country non-daily: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekend shift | 120%$38.56 |
Casual employees: All other publication employees, morning/afternoon shift and weekend rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| All other publications: All other shifts - Weekend | 135%$43.37 |
| All other publications: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekday shift | 135%$43.37 |
| All other publications: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekend shift | 145%$46.59 |
Casual employees: Metropolitan daily newspaper, magazine or wire service employees, shiftwork and weekend rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan daily newspaper, magazine or wire service: All other shifts - Weekend | 135%$43.37 |
| Metropolitan daily newspaper, magazine or wire service: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekday shift | 135%$43.37 |
| Metropolitan daily newspaper, magazine or wire service: Night shift - Weekday | 142.5%$45.78 |
| Metropolitan daily newspaper, magazine or wire service: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekend shift | 145%$46.59 |
| Metropolitan daily newspaper, magazine or wire service: Night shift - Weekend | 152.5%$49.00 |
Casual employees: Regional daily, country non-daily and digital publication employees, shiftwork and weekend rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Country non-daily: All other shifts - Weekend | 135%$43.37 |
| Country non-daily: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekday shift | 135%$43.37 |
| Digital publications: All other shifts - Weekend | 135%$43.37 |
| Digital publications: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekday shift | 135%$43.37 |
| Regional daily: All other shifts | 135%$43.37 |
| Regional daily: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekday shift | 135%$43.37 |
| Regional daily: Night shift - Weekday | 140%$44.98 |
| Country non-daily: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekend shift | 145%$46.59 |
| Digital publications: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekend shift | 145%$46.59 |
| Regional daily: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekend shift | 145%$46.59 |
| Country non-daily: Night shift - Weekend shift | 150%$48.19 |
| Digital publications: Night shift - Weekend shift | 150%$48.19 |
Casual employees: Regional daily, country non-daily and digital publication employees, shiftworkers, penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Country non-daily: Night shift - Weekday shift | 140%$44.98 |
| Regional daily: Night shift - Weekend shift | 150%$48.19 |
Casual employees: Suburban newspaper employees, shiftwork and weekend rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Suburban newspaper: All other shifts - Weekend | 135%$43.37 |
| Suburban newspaper: Morning/afternoon shift - Weekday shift | 135%$43.37 |
| Suburban newspaper: Shiftworkers - Shift penalty rate | 142.5%$45.78 |
| Suburban newspaper: Other than shiftworkers - Weekend | 145%$46.59 |
| Suburban newspaper: Shiftworkers - Weekend shift | 152.5%$49.00 |
Overtime
Full-time and part-time employees: overtime rates
Dollars an hour at Level 1
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Distant engagement: Monday to Sunday - First 8 hours | 150%$48.20 |
| Monday to Sunday - First 2 hours for full-time employees, first 3 hours for part-time employees | 150%$48.20 |
| Distant engagement: Monday to Sunday - After 8 hours | 200%$64.26 |
| Monday to Sunday - After the first 2 hours for full-time employees, after the first 3 hours for part-time employees | 200%$64.26 |
Juniors, apprentices and other arrangements
Rates that depend on age, training or another arrangement. Open a group to see its rates.
CadetsCadet ratesClause 14.24 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| 60%1st year | $19.28 |
| 75%2nd year | $24.10 |
| 90%3rd year | $28.92 |
| 90%Graduate Cadet | $28.92 |
Allowances paid on top
No allowance is set for the work itself, and 4 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.
To cover costs
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing allowance, regularly employed on work requiring attendance in evening attireClause 16.3(b)(iii) | $308.02 minimum per annum | |
| Meal allowance, more than one meal per day away from homeClause 16.3(c)(i) | $25.94 a meal | |
| Spectacle allowance | ||
| Maximum payment for first framesClause 16.3(g) | $122.88 maximum for first frames | |
| Difference between the cost of spectacles and the health benefitClause 16.3(g)(i) | $122.88 up to maximum for first frames | |
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 Journalists Published Media Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $32.13 an hour ($1,221.10 a week full time), for 1. The highest adult classification is $61.12 an hour. Cadet rates, further down, can be lower.
- How does the Journalists Published Media Award minimum compare?
- Its lowest adult rate is $32.13 an hour, 21.5% above the National Minimum Wage of $26.44 an hour. Of the 116 awards that set hourly rates, 3 have a higher minimum.
- How much did Journalists Published Media Award rates go up on 1 July 2026?
- The lowest adult rate rose 4.73%, from $30.68 to $32.13 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 Journalists Published Media Award?
- 25% on top of the ordinary hourly rate, paid instead of leave entitlements. For 1 that makes $40.16 an hour.
- What allowances are paid under the Journalists Published Media Award?
- 4 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a clothing allowance, regularly employed on work requiring attendance in evening attire of $308.02 minimum per annum, a meal allowance, more than one meal per day away from home of $25.94 a meal and a spectacle allowance, maximum payment for first frames of $122.88 maximum for first frames. 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.