CANBERRA, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Australia's minimum wage will rise by almost six percent from July and millions more workers will receive a 4.75 percent pay rise following a review by the national workplace tribunal.

Handing down its decision following the annual wage review, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) said that the national minimum hourly wage for adult employees will rise from 24.95 Australian dollars (17.9 U.S. dollars) to 26.44 AUD (18.9 USD) from July 1, an increase of 5.97 percent.

The FWC said that minimum wage rise will affect around 100,000 of Australia's lowest-paid employees.

Additionally, the FWC announced that the minimum award wage rate, which sets the minimum pay and working conditions for specific industries and occupations, will increase by 4.75 percent from the start of July.

It said that approximately 21.1 percent of all employees in Australia, around 2.8 million people, who are paid at a minimum award rate would be affected.

The federal government has advocated for the FWC to deliver a pay rise above inflation for minimum wage and modern award employees.

According to official data released in May, Australia's annual rate of inflation hit 4.2 percent in April. Projections included in the government's federal budget for 2026-27 forecast that inflation would hit 5.0 percent in June. ■