2025 WAIRC 00586
Mental Health Nurses' Consolidated Award 1981 No. 13 of 1947

1B. - MINIMUM ADULT AWARD WAGE

(1) No employee aged 21 or more shall be paid less than the minimum adult award wage unless otherwise provided by this clause.

(2) The minimum adult award wage for full-time employees aged 21 or more working under an award that provides for a 38-hour week is $953.00 per week.

The minimum adult award wage for full-time employees aged 21 or more working under awards that provide for other than a 38-hour week is calculated as follows: divide $953.00 by 38 and multiply by the number of ordinary hours prescribed for a full-time employee under the award.

The minimum adult award wage is payable from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2025.

(3) The minimum adult award wage is deemed to include all State Wage order adjustments from State Wage Case decisions.

(4) Unless otherwise provided in this clause adults aged 21 or more employed as casuals, part-time employees or piece workers or employees who are remunerated wholly on the basis of payment by results, shall not be paid less than pro rata the minimum adult award wage according to the hours worked.

(5) Employees under the age of 21 shall be paid no less than the wage determined by applying the percentage prescribed in the junior rates provision in this award (if applicable) to the minimum adult award wage, provided that no employee shall be paid less than any applicable minimum rate of pay prescribed by the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993.

(6) The minimum adult award wage shall not apply to apprentices, employees engaged on traineeships or government approved work placement programs or employed under the Commonwealth Government Supported Wage System or to other categories of employees who by prescription are paid less than the minimum award rate, provided that no employee shall be paid less than any applicable minimum rate of pay prescribed by the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993.

(7) Liberty to apply is reserved in relation to any special category of employees not included here or otherwise in relation to the application of the minimum adult award wage.

(8) Subject to this clause the minimum adult award wage shall –

(a) Apply to all work in ordinary hours.

(b) Apply to the calculation of overtime and all other penalty rates, superannuation, payments during any period of paid leave and for all purposes of this award.

(9) Minimum Adult Award Wage

The rates of pay in this award include the minimum weekly wage for employees aged 21 or more payable under the 2025 State Wage order. Any increase arising from the insertion of the minimum wage will be offset against any equivalent amount in rates of pay received by employees whose wages and conditions of employment are regulated by this award which are above the wage rates prescribed in the award. Such above award payments include wages payable pursuant to enterprise agreements, consent awards or award variations to give effect to enterprise agreements and over award arrangements. Absorption which is contrary to the terms of an agreement is not required.

Increases under previous State Wage Case Principles or under the current Statement of Principles, excepting those resulting from enterprise agreements, are not to be used to offset the minimum wage.

(10) Adult Apprentices

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of this clause, the minimum adult apprentice wage for a full-time apprentice aged 21 years or more working under an award that provides for a 38-hour week is $791.30 per week.

(b) The minimum adult apprentice wage for a full-time apprentice aged 21 years or more working under an award that provides for other than a 38-hour week is calculated as follows: divide $791.30 by 38 and multiply by the number of ordinary hours prescribed for a full-time apprentice under the award.

(c) The minimum adult apprentice wage is payable from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2025.

(d) Adult apprentices aged 21 years or more employed on a part-time basis shall not be paid less than pro rata the minimum adult apprentice wage according to the hours worked.

(e) The rates paid in the paragraphs above to an apprentice 21 years of age or more are payable on superannuation and during any period of paid leave prescribed by this award.

(f) Where in this award an additional rate is expressed as a percentage, fraction or multiple of the ordinary rate of pay, it shall be calculated upon the rate prescribed in this award for the actual year of apprenticeship.




22. - RATES OF PAY AND ALLOWANCES

The rates of pay in this award include arbitrated safety net adjustments available since December 1993, under the Arbitrated Safety Net Adjustment Principle.

These arbitrated safety net adjustments may be offset against any equivalent amount in the rate of pay received by employees since 1 November 1991 above the rate prescribed in the Award, except where such absorption is contrary to the terms of an industrial agreement.

Increases in rates of pay otherwise made under the State Wage Case Principles, excepting those resulting from enterprise agreements, are not to be used to offset arbitrated safety net adjustments.

(1) Registered Mental Health Nurses, Enrolled Mental Health Nurses, and Student Mental Health Nurses shall be paid the weekly wages as set out hereunder:



$ Per Week
ASNA
TOTAL
(a)
Mental Health Nurse









(i) Student Nurse Adult









1st year of training


953.00

2nd year of training


953.00

3rd year of training
382.80
573.70
956.50






Student under 21 years of age









1st year of training
316.40
420.50
736.90

2nd year of training
334.30
444.30
778.60

3rd year of training
356.40
473.70
830.10

4th year of training
380.50
505.70
886.20






(ii) Level 1
$ Per Week








1st year of service
445.10
591.60
1036.70

2nd year of service
458.10
601.10
1059.20

3rd year of service
476.50
608.00
1084.50

4th year of service
495.30
615.20
1110.50

5th year of service
509.60
617.70
1127.30

6th year of service
526.60
624.10
1150.70

7th year of service
547.00
631.80
1178.80






(iii) Level 2









1st year of service
581.00
647.30
1228.30

2nd year of service
597.00
653.50
1250.50

3rd year of service
619.60
661.90
1281.50






(iv) Level 3









1st year of service
667.00
677.10
1344.10

2nd year of service
686.10
684.10
1370.20

3rd year of service
702.40
690.40
1392.80






(v) Community Mental Health Nurses









1st year of service
619.60
661.90
1281.50

2nd year of service
631.00
666.10
1297.10

3rd year of service
646.70
672.20
1318.90

4th year of service
662.20
675.20
1337.40






(vi) Community Mental Health Nurse with a post basic certificate









1st year of service
631.00
666.10
1297.10

2nd year of service
646.70
672.20
1318.90

3rd year of service
662.20
675.20
1337.40

4th year of service
684.50
683.50
1368.00






(vii) Community Mental Health Administrative Nurse
697.10
688.20
1385.30






(viii) Community Mental Health Nurse with a post basic certificate
713.50
694.50
1408.00






(b) (i) Progression through the increments for a registered mental health nurse classified at Level 1 shall occur by annual increments.

(ii) Progression for all other classifications for which there is more than one wage point, shall be by annual increments, subject to a satisfactory performance appraisal.

(c) Where an employee is appointed to a position, previous relevant nursing experience at that level, or in a similar level under a differing career structure, shall be taken into account for determining the appropriate increment level.

(d) The onus of proof of previous experience shall rest with the employee.

Provided that an employee returning to the profession after an absence greater than five years shall commence at the first increment of Level 1 for a period of three months. During this time the employee shall be reviewed by an assessment panel. Upon satisfactory review she/he shall move to a level and increment as determined by the panel's assessment. An employee who fails to satisfy the panel of her/his competency to progress through the Level 1 increments or into another level as the case may be, may apply for re-assessment by an assessment panel after a period of 12 months from the date of employment.



$ Per Week
ASNA
TOTAL





(e)
Enrolled Mental Health Nurse









(i) Student Enrolled Mental Health Nurse









Adult Student









1st year of training


953.00

Thereafter


953.00






Student under 21 years









1st year of training
316.40
420.50
736.90

Thereafter
334.30
444.30
778.60






(ii) Registered Enrolled Mental Health Nurse









1st year of service
399.20
578.40
977.60

2nd year of service
407.50
580.60
988.10

Thereafter
416.30
583.20
999.50






(f) Provided that a student nurse in his/her first year of training shall only proceed to the next increment point in sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph (a) of subclause (1) of this clause upon passing the required examination.

(2) (a) Registered General Nurses undertaking training to obtain the Mental Health Nurses Certificate shall be paid the rate prescribed in the Nurses (Public Hospitals) Award 1988 for a Level 1, 2nd year Registered Nurse for the duration of such training.

(b) Provided that a Registered Enrolled Nurse, Registered Enrolled Mental Health Nurse, Mothercraft Nurse or Dental Nurse shall be paid the 2nd year rate of pay for an Adult Student Mental Health Nurse during the first and second year.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of subclause (2) of this clause the Director may for the purpose of fixing a rate of pay for a Registered Enrolled Nurse, Registered Enrolled Mental Health Nurse, Mothercraft Nurse or Dental Nurse undertaking Mental Health Nurse training take into account previous psychiatric nursing experience.

(3) In addition to the rate prescribed in subclause (1) of this clause an allowance, equivalent to 20% of the difference between the rate prescribed in subclause (1) of this clause for a Level 1, 7th increment nurse and the rate prescribed in subclause (1) of this clause for a Level 2, 2nd increment nurse shall be paid per shift to a Nurse when employed as Evening or Night Supervisor at Graylands, Heathcote or Lemnos between the hours of 3.45pm and 7.30am or as the Nurse in Charge at Whitby Falls Hostel between the hours of 3.30pm and 7.00am. In the case of locations working a four days on/two days off roster the allowance paid shall be 21.43% of the rate difference as previously defined in this subclause. This allowance shall be included in and form part of the ordinary rate.

(4) In addition to the rate prescribed in subclause (1) of this clause, an allowance equivalent to 10% of the difference between the rate prescribed in subclause (1) of this clause for the Level 2 Nurse in their first year of service and the rate prescribed in subclause (1) of this clause for a Level 3 Nurse in their first year of service, shall be paid per shift to nurses who at 3.45pm or 11.45pm take charge of a ward. In the case of locations working four days on/two days off roster the allowance paid shall be 10.71% of the rate difference as previously defined in this subclause. This allowance shall be included in and form part of the ordinary rate but shall not be cumulative on the allowance prescribed in subclause (4) of this clause. The provisions of this clause shall not be cumulative upon any entitlement provided in Clause 20. - Higher Duties of this award.

(5) All ordinary time worked on any shift in excess of ten hours shall be paid for at the rate of time and a half.

(6) In addition to the ordinary wages prescribed in this Clause special allowances as set out in this subclause shall be paid to nurses as follows:

(a) A nurse holding a post graduate tertiary qualification obtained from a recognised college of nursing, university or college of advanced education and required in his/her employment:



$ Per Week



(i)
six months study
19.40
(ii)
twelve months study
32.40

(b) A nurse holding a post basic certificate endorsed by the Nurses' Board of Western Australia and required in his/her employment:



Per Week$



(i)
six months study
10.80
(ii)
twelve months study
15.00

Provided that an educational qualification entitling the holder to an allowance under subclause (a) shall not attract an additional allowance under subclause (b).