Racing Industry Ground Maintenance 2025 Pay Rates (MA000014)

Plain-English Summary

Who does this award cover?

The Racing Industry Ground Maintenance covers employees engaged in the maintenance of racecourse grounds, tracks, and facilities, including groundskeepers, track maintenance workers, gardeners, and irrigation operators at horse racing, greyhound, and harness racing venues. It covers approximately 3,000 workers across Australia.

This award does NOT cover racing club event staff (Racing Clubs Events Award, MA000013), stable staff (Horse and Greyhound Training Award, MA000008), or general gardening and landscaping workers not at racecourses (Gardening and Landscaping Services Award, MA000101). See clause 4.1 for the full coverage terms.

How classification levels work

Classifications cover ground maintenance roles from general labourer through to experienced groundskeeper, track curator, and supervisor. Specific provisions apply for morning work, evening work, and work required due to water restrictions.

Key features of this award

Track maintenance often requires early morning work before racing and evening work after racing. The award includes specific penalty rates for morning and evening work, as well as provisions for work performed outside ordinary hours due to water restrictions.

Classification Levels and Base Rates

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

Refer to the Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000014 for current dollar amounts for each classification level. Hourly rate = weekly rate / 38. Casual rate = hourly rate x 1.25.

Penalty Rates

Penalty rate multipliers from the Fair Work Commission penalty rate schedule for MA000014. All penalties are calculated on the base hourly rate.

The award specifies penalty rates ranging from 100% to 275% depending on when and how you work.

Full-Time and Part-Time Employees

Casual Employees

Penalty rate categories in this award

The following penalty rate descriptions apply under MA000014:

• Evening work
• Monday to Saturday - after first 2 hours
• Monday to Saturday - first 2 hours
• Morning work
• Night cleaning
• Ordinary rates
• Public holiday
• Public holiday - all hours worked
• Saturday
• Sunday
• Sunday - all overtime hours worked
• Work outside of ordinary hours due to water restrictions

Casual penalty rates include the 25% casual loading. Refer to the specific award clauses for exact percentages applicable to each classification level and employment type.

Worked Examples

Example 1: Casual worker on a Sunday

A casual employee working a 3 hours-hour minimum shift on a Sunday.

• Base hourly rate: refer to your classification level in the MA000014 pay guide
• Sunday casual rate: base rate x Sunday casual penalty percentage
• Minimum payment: Sunday casual rate x 3 hours hours
• Clause reference: refer to casual penalty rates clause

Example 2: Full-time worker on a public holiday

A full-time employee working an 8-hour public holiday shift.

• Base hourly rate: refer to your classification level in the MA000014 pay guide
• Public holiday rate: base rate x public holiday percentage (up to 275%)
• Total: public holiday rate x 8 hours
• Clause reference: refer to public holiday clause

Example 3: Part-time worker with overtime

A part-time employee who works 2 hours beyond their rostered hours on a weekday.

• Base hourly rate: refer to your classification level in the MA000014 pay guide
• Overtime rate: base rate x overtime percentage
• Clause reference: refer to overtime clause

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I get extra pay for early morning track maintenance?

Yes, the award provides morning work penalty rates for work performed outside the ordinary spread of hours. Evening work also attracts penalty rates.

2. What about night work for watering restrictions?

The award includes specific provisions for work performed outside ordinary hours due to water restrictions, recognising that track watering may need to occur at restricted times.

3. Is night cleaning at the racecourse covered?

Yes, employees engaged in night cleaning duties at racecourses are covered, with specific penalty rates applying to night cleaning work.

4. What is the minimum shift length under this award?

The minimum engagement for casual and part-time employees is 3 hours per shift. Even if you are sent home early, you must be paid for the minimum shift length.

5. How do I check my exact pay rate?

Use our free calculator or refer to the Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000014. You can also contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 for free advice.

Check Your Rate

Working in racing ground maintenance and want to know your exact pay rate? Use our free calculator to check.

Check your pay rate now

Select your classification level, employment type, and the times you work.

Schema Markup Suggestions

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Table Schema (Dataset)

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• description: "Classification levels and penalty rates for ground maintenance staff at racecourses under the Racing Industry Ground Maintenance"
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• creator: Fair Work Commission
• license: CC BY 4.0

Breadcrumb Schema

Home > Awards > Racing Industry Ground Maintenance (MA000014)

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.