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SYDNEY, May 30 (Reuters) - Australia's industrial relations umpire raised the national minimum wage by 3% from July 1, it said on Thursday, an increase more than double the inflation rate but half of what unions had lobbied for.
The pay hike, which is above the industry rate of 2.3%, will be welcomed by central bank policymakers who have long argued that faster pay growth was needed to lift inflation and consumption.
Thursday's move affects about 2.3 million employees, or 20 percent of Australia's workforce, and was opposed by business groups which argued that higher pay awards would kill jobs.