Australian Government Industry Award 2016

MA000153 covers Commonwealth entities (within the meaning of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013) and their employees who are engaged otherwise than under the Public Service Act 1999. In practice it applies to Commonwealth bodies whose staff sit outside the core public service framework. It excludes Australian Public Service employees and some specific occupations. Confirm coverage for your organisation against the award and the Fair Work Ombudsman, as related instruments may apply to some staff.

The award does not cover Australian Public Service employees engaged under the Public Service Act 1999, employees covered by an enterprise award, or several listed occupations - including nurses, commercial sales staff, fitness industry employees, broadcasting and recorded entertainment staff, higher education academics, and children's services employees. Those groups generally fall under other modern awards or instruments. Check each role against the coverage clause and the Fair Work source rather than assuming MA000153 applies across the whole entity.

MA000153 uses a single classification ladder of Australian Government (AG) levels, running from AG level 1 through to AG level 8, with the duties and skills for each level described in Schedule B of the award. There are also separate cadet and technical trainee arrangements. Classify each employee by the work they actually perform, then read the current minimum rate for that AG level or trainee classification from the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Always take current rates from the Fair Work Pay Calculator or the MA000153 pay guide rather than memory or an old spreadsheet. Rates differ by AG level, by cadet or trainee classification, and by employment type. They are reviewed annually and rise from the first full pay period on or after 1 July, so any figure has a use-by date. Valont keeps these rates current as part of award-compliant payroll for organisations covered by this award.

MA000153 does not use the more common 38-hour standard week - its ordinary full-time hours are set differently, so you should confirm the exact figure in the hours-of-work clause. This matters because the ordinary weekly hours drive the hourly rate, overtime thresholds and part-time pro-rata calculations. Read the award's hours-of-work provisions and use the Fair Work source so your base figures are right before any penalties or overtime are applied.

Casual employees are paid an hourly rate plus a casual loading, which is commonly 25% across modern awards, in place of the paid leave and other entitlements casuals do not receive. The award also provides a pathway from casual to permanent employment under the Fair Work Act. Treat 25% as a guide only and confirm the exact loading, and how it interacts with shift and weekend penalties, for this award from the Fair Work source before running pay.

Saturday and Sunday work attracts weekend penalties on top of the ordinary rate, and the award sets these separately for permanent employees and casuals. As a general guide, weekend penalties across awards commonly run around 25% on Saturday and 50% on Sunday, but MA000153 expresses its own Saturday and Sunday rates in its shiftwork and penalty provisions. You must confirm what the award actually provides for the relevant shift and employment type against the Fair Work source rather than assuming a figure.

Public holiday entitlements flow from the National Employment Standards and the award. As a guide, public holiday work across awards can attract penalties of up to 150%, but MA000153's own provisions determine what actually applies to a given shift and employment type. Always verify the public holiday rate, and any arrangements for employees who do not work the day, for this award using the Fair Work Pay Calculator before processing a pay run that includes a public holiday.

Overtime generally applies to hours worked beyond an employee's ordinary or rostered hours, and MA000153 sets different overtime rates for the first few hours and for hours after that, with separate rates on weekends and public holidays, and distinct arrangements for day workers and shiftworkers. Identify which hours count as overtime for each employee and which schedule applies, then confirm the applicable overtime rate for this award via the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

MA000153 includes a vehicle allowance (per kilometre) for required use of a private car, travelling and accommodation reimbursements for work away from base, excess travelling time and excess fares payments, a first aid allowance, an overtime meal allowance, and reimbursement of compulsory cadet books and equipment. Because some are paid per kilometre, per week or on reimbursement, they are easy to miss. Identify which apply to each role and confirm current amounts using the Fair Work Pay Calculator.

Annual leave entitlements flow from the National Employment Standards, and some awards add a leave loading on top - commonly 17.5% where it applies. Whether MA000153 provides an annual leave loading, and on what terms, is set by the award's leave clause rather than assumed. Check the annual leave provisions in the award and confirm the position for your employees against the Fair Work source before accruing or paying out leave.

Modern award minimum rates increase following the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review and take effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July. The 2026 review added 4.75% to modern award minimums. Apply increases from the correct pay period, not the calendar date, and pull the new figures for each AG level, trainee classification and allowance from the Fair Work source so pay stays compliant.

The risks with MA000153 sit in the detail: the right AG level or trainee classification, the award's non-standard ordinary hours, stacked shift, weekend and public holiday penalties, the travel and vehicle allowances, and rates refreshed every July. The safest approach is to anchor every figure to the Fair Work Pay Calculator and review pay each 1 July. Valont runs award-compliant payroll for Commonwealth-covered employers, mapping rosters to the correct classifications, allowances and penalties so figures stay current and accurate.