Aboriginal Health Workers Award 2025 Pay Rates (MA000115)

Plain-English Summary

Who does this award cover?

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award covers employees working in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) across Australia. If you work as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker, health practitioner, administrative officer, dental assistant, dental or oral health therapist, or ancillary worker at an ACCHS, this award applies to you. It covers roughly 15,000 workers nationally.

This award does NOT cover employees of mainstream (non-Aboriginal controlled) health services, even if those services deliver health care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It also does not cover employees whose work is primarily covered by another award (such as the Nurses Award for registered nurses working at an ACCHS). See clause 4 for the full coverage rules.

Multiple classification streams

The award has several classification streams reflecting the diverse roles within ACCHSs: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers (classified by scope of practice and experience), Administrative employees (graded by responsibility), Ancillary employees (support and maintenance roles), and Dental employees (dental assistants, dental therapists, and oral health therapists). Each stream has its own classification structure and base rates.

Aged care-level increases

In line with the Fair Work Commission's Work Value decisions affecting the health and care sector, Aboriginal Health Workers in certain classifications received interim pay increases effective from 1 July 2025, with further adjustments to 31 December 2025. These interim rates are reflected in the tables below where applicable.

Classification Levels and Base Rates

All rates effective 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review 2024-25.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers

Administrative Employees

Dental Employees

Casual rate = hourly rate x 1.25. Rates shown are indicative Pay Point 1 figures. Higher pay points within each level apply based on years of service.

Penalty Rates

All penalties are calculated on the base hourly rate (clause 23 and clause 26).

Full-Time and Part-Time Employees (Non-Shiftworkers)

Shiftworkers

Casual Employees

Casual penalty rates include the 25% casual loading. The loading is built into the multiplier.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do Aboriginal Health Workers get higher rates than other streams under this award?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers are classified in their own stream with rates that reflect the specialised nature of their work, including cultural knowledge and community connection. The rates differ from the administrative and ancillary streams. Additionally, interim Work Value increases have been applied to certain Health Worker classifications, bringing their rates above the standard minimum. Check the current pay guide for the exact figures at each pay point.

2. What are broken shifts and how are they paid?

Broken shifts are shifts where the work is divided into two or more separate periods with unpaid breaks in between. This is common in community health settings where morning clinic hours and afternoon outreach may be separated by a long break. If the spread of hours for a broken shift exceeds 9 hours, a 15% loading applies. If it exceeds 12 hours, the loading increases to 30%. These loadings compensate for the disruption to your day. See clause 23.

3. What is the minimum engagement for casuals at an ACCHS?

Casual employees must be engaged and paid for a minimum of 2 hours per engagement. At Health Worker Level 1 casual rate ($30.35/hr), the minimum payment for any casual engagement is $60.70 gross. This applies to all streams including administrative and dental employees.

4. Do shiftworkers get a higher public holiday rate?

Yes. Shiftworkers receive 250% of their base rate for public holiday work, which is a straightforward penalty rate. Non-shiftworkers receive 250% plus a substitute day off (or an alternative arrangement). The net value is similar, but the mechanism differs depending on whether you are classified as a shiftworker.

5. Is this award only for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees?

No. The award covers all employees working at Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, regardless of their own background. A non-Indigenous administrative officer or dental therapist working at an ACCHS is covered by this award just the same as an Aboriginal Health Worker. The award is defined by the employer (an ACCHS), not the employee's heritage.

Check Your Rate

Working at an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service? Use our free calculator to check your exact rate based on your classification stream, level, and work pattern.

Check your pay rate now

Select your stream (health worker, admin, dental, or ancillary), enter your level and employment type, and get a breakdown of your exact pay -- including the broken shift loadings and Work Value increases specific to this award.

Schema Markup Suggestions

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Table Schema (Dataset)

• name: "Aboriginal Health Workers Award MA000115 Pay Rates July 2025"
• description: "Classification levels and hourly pay rates for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service employees"
• temporalCoverage: "2025-07-01/.."
• creator: Fair Work Commission
• license: CC BY 4.0

Breadcrumb Schema

Home > Awards > Aboriginal Health Workers Award (MA000115)

Rates current as of 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission, CC BY 4.0. This information is general in nature and is not legal advice. Always verify rates against the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) at calculate.fairwork.gov.au.