Printing Industry – Herald & Weekly Times – Production Award pay rates
Award code MA000126, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 9 adult classifications under the Printing Industry – Herald & Weekly Times – Production Award 2015, from 1 July 2026: $986.60 to $1,293.50 a week before tax.
Lowest adult rate
$986.60a week
For Production Assistant 1. Up 4.75% from $941.90.
Its lowest adult rate is $986.60 a week. Of the 25 awards that set weekly rates, 19 have a higher minimum. The dashed line is the minimum wage; each tick is another award.
Pay by classification
Dollars a week, from 1 July 2026- Pre Press Operator 1$1,119.10
- Printing Machinist 1$1,119.10
- Production Assistant 1$986.60
- Publishing Operator$1,105.20
- Pre Press Operator 2$1,164.60
- Printing Machinist 2$1,164.60
- Production Assistant 2$1,052.20
- Printing Machinist 3$1,210.40
- Printing Machinist 4$1,293.50
Hover or tap a row for last year's rate. Every rate, in every unit, is in the tables below.
Minimum pay by classification from 1 July 2026
Weekly rates are for a full-time week.
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| Pre Press Operator 1 | $1,119.10 |
| Printing Machinist 1 | $1,119.10 |
| Production Assistant 1 | $986.60 |
| Publishing Operator | $1,105.20 |
| Pre Press Operator 2 | $1,164.60 |
| Printing Machinist 2 | $1,164.60 |
| Production Assistant 2 | $1,052.20 |
| Printing Machinist 3 | $1,210.40 |
| Printing Machinist 4 | $1,293.50 |
The Commission's pay database has no penalty, overtime or casual rates for this award, so they aren't shown here. They're in the award itself, linked below.
Juniors, apprentices and other arrangements
Rates that depend on age, training or another arrangement. Open a group to see its rates.
National Training Wage - Full-time traineeships - Wage Level ATrainee ratesClause C.5.1(a)15 rates
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| Year 10School leaver | $432.30 |
| Year 10Plus 1 year out of school | $476.00 |
| Year 10Plus 2 years out of school | $566.20 |
| Year 10Plus 3 years out of school | $658.90 |
| Year 10Plus 4 years out of school | $766.80 |
| Year 10Plus 5 or more years out of school | $877.80 |
| Year 11School leaver | $476.00 |
| Year 11Plus 1 year out of school | $566.20 |
| Year 11Plus 2 years out of school | $658.90 |
| Year 11Plus 3 years out of school | $766.80 |
| Year 11Plus 4 years out of school | $877.80 |
| Year 12School leaver | $566.20 |
| Year 12Plus 1 year out of school | $658.90 |
| Year 12Plus 2 years out of school | $766.80 |
| Year 12Plus 3 years out of school | $877.80 |
National Training Wage - Full-time traineeships - Wage Level BTrainee ratesClause C.5.1(b)15 rates
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| Year 10School leaver | $432.30 |
| Year 10Plus 1 year out of school | $476.00 |
| Year 10Plus 2 years out of school | $551.70 |
| Year 10Plus 3 years out of school | $634.70 |
| Year 10Plus 4 years out of school | $744.40 |
| Year 10Plus 5 or more years out of school | $848.90 |
| Year 11School leaver | $476.00 |
| Year 11Plus 1 year out of school | $551.70 |
| Year 11Plus 2 years out of school | $634.70 |
| Year 11Plus 3 years out of school | $744.40 |
| Year 11Plus 4 years out of school | $848.90 |
| Year 12School leaver | $551.70 |
| Year 12Plus 1 year out of school | $634.70 |
| Year 12Plus 2 years out of school | $744.40 |
| Year 12Plus 3 years out of school | $848.90 |
National Training Wage - Full-time traineeships - Wage Level CTrainee ratesClause C.5.1(c)15 rates
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| Year 10School leaver | $432.30 |
| Year 10Plus 1 year out of school | $476.00 |
| Year 10Plus 2 years out of school | $551.70 |
| Year 10Plus 3 years out of school | $623.90 |
| Year 10Plus 4 years out of school | $697.00 |
| Year 10Plus 5 or more years out of school | $776.40 |
| Year 11School leaver | $476.00 |
| Year 11Plus 1 year out of school | $551.70 |
| Year 11Plus 2 years out of school | $623.90 |
| Year 11Plus 3 years out of school | $697.00 |
| Year 11Plus 4 years out of school | $776.40 |
| Year 12School leaver | $551.70 |
| Year 12Plus 1 year out of school | $623.90 |
| Year 12Plus 2 years out of school | $697.00 |
| Year 12Plus 3 years out of school | $776.40 |
National Training Wage - AQF Certificate Level IV traineeshipsTrainee ratesClause C.5.1(d)(ii)6 rates
| Classification | Weekly |
|---|---|
| First year of traineeshipWage Level C | $805.90 |
| First year of traineeshipWage Level B | $881.20 |
| First year of traineeshipWage Level A | $911.10 |
| Second and subsequent year of traineeshipWage Level C | $836.40 |
| Second and subsequent year of traineeshipWage Level B | $914.70 |
| Second and subsequent year of traineeshipWage Level A | $945.70 |
National Training Wage - Part-time traineeships - Wage Level ATrainee ratesClause C.5.2(a)15 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Year 10School leaver | $14.21 |
| Year 10Plus 1 year out of school | $15.66 |
| Year 10Plus 2 years out of school | $18.61 |
| Year 10Plus 3 years out of school | $21.67 |
| Year 10Plus 4 years out of school | $25.21 |
| Year 10Plus 5 or more years out of school | $28.88 |
| Year 11School leaver | $15.66 |
| Year 11Plus 1 year out of school | $18.61 |
| Year 11Plus 2 years out of school | $21.67 |
| Year 11Plus 3 years out of school | $25.21 |
| Year 11Plus 4 years out of school | $28.88 |
| Year 12School leaver | $18.61 |
| Year 12Plus 1 year out of school | $21.67 |
| Year 12Plus 2 years out of school | $25.21 |
| Year 12Plus 3 years out of school | $28.88 |
National Training Wage - Part-time traineeships - Wage Level BTrainee ratesClause C.5.2(b)15 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Year 10School leaver | $14.21 |
| Year 10Plus 1 year out of school | $15.66 |
| Year 10Plus 2 years out of school | $18.16 |
| Year 10Plus 3 years out of school | $20.88 |
| Year 10Plus 4 years out of school | $24.49 |
| Year 10Plus 5 or more years out of school | $27.93 |
| Year 11School leaver | $15.66 |
| Year 11Plus 1 year out of school | $18.16 |
| Year 11Plus 2 years out of school | $20.88 |
| Year 11Plus 3 years out of school | $24.49 |
| Year 11Plus 4 years out of school | $27.93 |
| Year 12School leaver | $18.16 |
| Year 12Plus 1 year out of school | $20.88 |
| Year 12Plus 2 years out of school | $24.49 |
| Year 12Plus 3 years out of school | $27.93 |
National Training Wage - Part-time traineeships - Wage Level CTrainee ratesClause C.5.2(c)15 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Year 10School leaver | $14.21 |
| Year 10Plus 1 year out of school | $15.66 |
| Year 10Plus 2 years out of school | $18.16 |
| Year 10Plus 3 years out of school | $20.51 |
| Year 10Plus 4 years out of school | $22.93 |
| Year 10Plus 5 or more years out of school | $25.53 |
| Year 11School leaver | $15.66 |
| Year 11Plus 1 year out of school | $18.16 |
| Year 11Plus 2 years out of school | $20.51 |
| Year 11Plus 3 years out of school | $22.93 |
| Year 11Plus 4 years out of school | $25.53 |
| Year 12School leaver | $18.16 |
| Year 12Plus 1 year out of school | $20.51 |
| Year 12Plus 2 years out of school | $22.93 |
| Year 12Plus 3 years out of school | $25.53 |
National Training Wage - School-based traineeshipsTrainee ratesClause C.5.2(d)2 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| Year 11 or lower | $14.21 |
| Year 12 | $15.66 |
National Training Wage - AQF Certificate Level IV traineeshipsTrainee ratesClause C.5.2(e)(ii)6 rates
| Classification | Hourly |
|---|---|
| First year of traineeshipWage Level C | $26.51 |
| First year of traineeshipWage Level B | $28.99 |
| First year of traineeshipWage Level A | $29.98 |
| Second and subsequent year of traineeshipWage Level C | $27.52 |
| Second and subsequent year of traineeshipWage Level B | $30.08 |
| Second and subsequent year of traineeshipWage Level A | $31.10 |
Allowances paid on top
No allowance is set for the work itself, and 1 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 |
|---|---|
| MealClause 17.3 | $21.42 each time |
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.
The awards most people look up
Questions people ask
- What is the minimum pay rate under the Printing Industry – Herald & Weekly Times – Production Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $986.60 a week, for Production Assistant 1. The highest adult classification is $1,293.50 a week. Trainee rates, further down, can be lower.
- How does the Printing Industry – Herald & Weekly Times – Production Award minimum compare?
- Its lowest adult rate is $986.60 a week. Of the 25 awards that set weekly rates, 19 have a higher minimum.
- How much did Printing Industry – Herald & Weekly Times – Production Award rates go up on 1 July 2026?
- The lowest adult rate rose 4.75%, from $941.90 to $986.60 a week, in the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. The table shows each classification's rate before and after.
- What allowances are paid under the Printing Industry – Herald & Weekly Times – Production Award?
- 1 allowance has a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a meal of $21.42 each time. 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.