Racing Industry Ground Maintenance Award pay rates
Award code MA000014, with rates in force from 1 July 2026.
Minimum pay for 7 adult classifications under the Racing Industry Ground Maintenance Award 2020, from 1 July 2026: $25.74 to $37.61 an hour before tax. Casuals get a 25% loading on top.
Lowest adult rate
$25.74an hour
For Introductory level. $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$25.74
- Maintenance and Horticultural Employee Level 1$26.44
- Maintenance and Horticultural Employee Level 2$28.42
- Tradesperson$29.45
- Trackwork and Pool Supervisor$31.77
- Management Employee Level 1$34.08
- Management Employee Level 2$37.61
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.
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary rates | 100%$25.74 | 125%$32.18 |
| Evening work | 115%$29.60 | 140%$36.04 |
| Morning work | 125%$32.18 | 150%$38.61 |
| Work outside of ordinary hours due to water restrictions | 150%$38.61 | 175%$45.05 |
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 | $978.10 | $25.74 | $32.18 |
| Maintenance and Horticultural Employee Level 1 | $1,004.90 | $26.44 | $33.05 |
| Maintenance and Horticultural Employee Level 2 | $1,080.00 | $28.42 | $35.53 |
| Tradesperson | $1,119.10 | $29.45 | $36.81 |
| Trackwork and Pool Supervisor | $1,207.10 | $31.77 | $39.71 |
| Management Employee Level 1 | $1,295.00 | $34.08 | $42.60 |
| Management Employee Level 2 | $1,429.30 | $37.61 | $47.01 |
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, morning, evening and water restriction penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Introductory level
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary rates | 100%$25.74 | 125%$32.18 |
| Evening work | 115%$29.60 | 140%$36.04 |
| Morning work | 125%$32.18 | 150%$38.61 |
| Work outside of ordinary hours due to water restrictions | 150%$38.61 | 175%$45.05 |
Employees: weekend and public holiday penalty rates
Dollars an hour at Introductory level
| When | Full-time and part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 125%$32.18 | 150%$38.61 |
| Sunday | 175%$45.05 | 200%$51.48 |
| Public holiday | 250%$64.35 | 275%$70.79 |
Casuals engaged in night cleaning duties
Dollars an hour at Introductory level
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Night cleaning | 155%$39.90 |
Overtime
Full-time and part-time employees: overtime
Dollars an hour at Introductory level
| When | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday - first 2 hours | 150%$38.61 |
| Monday to Saturday - after first 2 hours | 200%$51.48 |
| Sunday - all overtime hours worked | 200%$51.48 |
| Public holiday - all hours worked | 250%$64.35 |
Allowances paid on top
5 allowances are for the work itself, paid when the job calls for it, 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.
For the work
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| First aid attendant allowanceClause 17.2(a) | $22.38 a week | |
| Leading hand allowance | ||
| 1–2 other employeesClause 17.2(b)(i) | $22.38 a week | |
| 3–6 other employeesClause 17.2(b)(i) | $44.76 a week | |
| More than 6 other employeesClause 17.2(b)(i) | $55.96 a week | |
| Employee in charge of tractor plantClause 17.2(c) | $33.57 a week | |
To cover costs
| Allowance | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Meal allowanceClause 17.3(c) | $15.22 each time | |
| Tool allowance | ||
| CarpenterCounts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 17.3(e)(i) | $30.88 a week | |
| Tradesperson (other than carpenter)Counts towards overtime and penalty ratesClause 17.3(e)(i) | $15.83 a week | |
| Loss of clothing reimbursement (maximum)Clause 17.3(f) | $841.29 per single claim | |
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 Racing Industry Ground Maintenance Award?
- From 1 July 2026, the lowest adult rate is $25.74 an hour ($978.10 a week full time), for Introductory level. The highest adult classification is $37.61 an hour.
- How does the Racing Industry Ground Maintenance 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 Racing Industry Ground Maintenance 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 Racing Industry Ground Maintenance Award?
- 25% on top of the ordinary hourly rate, paid instead of leave entitlements. For Introductory level that makes $32.18 an hour.
- What are Sunday rates under the Racing Industry Ground Maintenance Award?
- Full-time and part-time employees get 175% of the ordinary rate on Sunday: $45.05 an hour at Introductory level. Public holidays are 250%. Casual rates are in the penalty tables above.
- What allowances are paid under the Racing Industry Ground Maintenance Award?
- 9 allowances have a dollar amount set by the Commission, including a first aid attendant allowance of $22.38 a week, a leading hand allowance, 1–2 other employees of $22.38 a week and a leading hand allowance, 3–6 other employees of $44.76 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.