zonavar68 · 56-60, M
I've lived on Australian minimum wage twice - in 2007/8 and 2014/15.
In 2007/8 it was A$13.75 an hr. In 2014/15 it was A$16.87 an hr.
Now in 2026 it's A$26.44 an hr.
If you want to say that's very high compared to the USA, it's not really. USA has 10x the population of Australia so the costs of living are (for the most part) significantly less. Also, Australia doesn't have, need, want, or condone 'tipping culture' that is rife in the USA apparently and it's expected that you have to tip.
In 2007/8 it was A$13.75 an hr. In 2014/15 it was A$16.87 an hr.
Now in 2026 it's A$26.44 an hr.
If you want to say that's very high compared to the USA, it's not really. USA has 10x the population of Australia so the costs of living are (for the most part) significantly less. Also, Australia doesn't have, need, want, or condone 'tipping culture' that is rife in the USA apparently and it's expected that you have to tip.
4meAndyou · F
Addressing Gibbon's point, that minimum wage was never intended to cover the cost of living for families, Google AI says the following:
"When the federal government first established the minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt intended the wage floor to protect the lowest-paid, unorganized workers—primarily men in manufacturing, mining, and transportation.
The goal was to secure a basic "living wage" that would provide a decent standard of living and stabilize the post-Depression economy.
Early legislation was largely aimed at supporting a "male breadwinner" who could support a family.
However, the architects of the policy specifically had the following demographics in mind:
Unskilled Laborers: Unlike today's perception of minimum wage as a starting point for young or part-time employees, the 1938 wage floor of 25 cents per hour was designed for full-time, adult workers lacking collective bargaining power.
Industrial and Interstate Workers: The original FLSA specifically targeted employees engaged in interstate commerce, meaning it largely covered workers in mining, manufacturing, construction, and transportation.
Excluded Populations: The original law excluded many service, retail, and agricultural jobs, which disproportionately employed women and racial minorities at the time. These exemptions were later heavily contested and revised, most notably in 1966."
It should be noted that women and people of color were always paid LESS than minimum wage...in the bad old days.
Oh, and to answer the question, NO. I could not live on minimum wage unless I shared an apartment with many, many people, WHICH I once did.
"When the federal government first established the minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt intended the wage floor to protect the lowest-paid, unorganized workers—primarily men in manufacturing, mining, and transportation.
The goal was to secure a basic "living wage" that would provide a decent standard of living and stabilize the post-Depression economy.
Early legislation was largely aimed at supporting a "male breadwinner" who could support a family.
However, the architects of the policy specifically had the following demographics in mind:
Unskilled Laborers: Unlike today's perception of minimum wage as a starting point for young or part-time employees, the 1938 wage floor of 25 cents per hour was designed for full-time, adult workers lacking collective bargaining power.
Industrial and Interstate Workers: The original FLSA specifically targeted employees engaged in interstate commerce, meaning it largely covered workers in mining, manufacturing, construction, and transportation.
Excluded Populations: The original law excluded many service, retail, and agricultural jobs, which disproportionately employed women and racial minorities at the time. These exemptions were later heavily contested and revised, most notably in 1966."
It should be noted that women and people of color were always paid LESS than minimum wage...in the bad old days.
Oh, and to answer the question, NO. I could not live on minimum wage unless I shared an apartment with many, many people, WHICH I once did.
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beermeplease · M
nobodyishome · 31-35, F
@beermeplease or Mafia that is following his Maria 🫠
Justmeraeagain · 56-60, F
nobodyishome · 31-35, F
@Nimbus Aren't you MissyChrissy
peterlee · M
@Thinkingdeeper Too many people know how to play the system, and drive around in new cars.
Thinkingdeeper · 36-40, M
@peterlee it's helpful to remember whilst it may seem high the numbers are actually quite small countrywide. Tax avoidance for example is much bigger and if sorted would sort out a lot of things. In terms of new cars I suspect these are leased or on finance credit.
saragoodtimes · F
Nimbus · M
@saragoodtimes Not ready for going shopping in your PJ's then: ;)
@Nimbus Love em!
TheHammer · M
You could survive on it, I wouldnt call it living.
BridgeOvertroubledWaters · 61-69, M
Magicianzini · M
Magicianzini · M
@MasterLee Internet (on a smart phone) is a necessity. You're not getting any form of employment without it.
I get haha your general idea though, but Internet was a bad choice. Should have been "Netflix" or something instead. And I do agree those in poverty don't handle money well - but that's PART of poverty, unfortunately.
I get haha your general idea though, but Internet was a bad choice. Should have been "Netflix" or something instead. And I do agree those in poverty don't handle money well - but that's PART of poverty, unfortunately.
MasterLee · 56-60, M
@Magicianzini in africa, poverty is a dirt floor. In america, a color tv, netflix, cellphone, ebt, and section 8.
nobodyishome · 31-35, F
Nimbus · M
@nobodyishome That's considerate.
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SleepingWithGhosts · 46-50, M
Magicianzini · M
@Musicman But if everybody is trying to get the jobs at Target (who btw are starting to cut jobs), there are many who are then still stuck in minimum wage positions. It's not about "settling". It's about them being unskilled and unable to acquire anything else.
Magicianzini · M
@Musicman I don't know where you live, but in the many places I've lived mostly all of the construction workers are illegals. As for other jobs .. what jobs? There are only a small number of jobs you can get it you're unskilled and thousands of others are trying to get those same jobs also.
Even when you are skilled, you're competing against hundreds of other applicants who are all also trying to get through AI.
It's very, very competitive in 2026. You were lucky (truly) to not have to deal with all of this in your own time - but please understand there are those of us who now are.
Add to that many positions wanting a video introduction, having potential employers checking your socials and credit score. It's all insane.
Even when you are skilled, you're competing against hundreds of other applicants who are all also trying to get through AI.
It's very, very competitive in 2026. You were lucky (truly) to not have to deal with all of this in your own time - but please understand there are those of us who now are.
Add to that many positions wanting a video introduction, having potential employers checking your socials and credit score. It's all insane.
BrandNewMan · 61-69, M
Nimbus · M
@BrandNewMan Me neither.