I would teach kids about the minimum wage, how to quote a job based on estimated time and overall cleanliness, and then get them to ask the fair and equitable going rate. Unionise those fuckers.
According to the Australian Unions website[1], employers in Australia are legally allowed to pay workers under 16 years old $8.55 per hour, which is 36.8% of the Australian minimum wage for legal adults. This means that the minimum wage for 15-year-olds is $8.55 per hour. The Fair Work Ombudsman[2] provides a tool to calculate minimum pay rates for juniors. The Forbes Advisor Australia[3] states that the current minimum wage in Australia is $21.38 per hour (before tax) as determined by Fair Work Australia. However, the minimum wage for young workers is different. According to Indeed.com[4], the minimum wage for workers under 16 years of age is 36.8% of the national minimum wage, which is $7.30 per hour. Mywage.com[5] also confirms that the minimum wage for trainees varies from A$287.90 – A$585.80 per week, depending on years of schooling. Finally, the Children’s Services Award 2010[6] provides the minimum amount that an employer can pay an educator based on their qualification and position while working in an early learning center.
Citations: [1] https://www.australianunions.org.au/factsheet/minimum-wages/ [2] https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay-and-wages/minimum-wages/junior-pay-rates [3] https://www.forbes.com/advisor/au/personal-finance/what-is-the-minimum-wage-in-australia/ [4] https://au.indeed.com/career-advice/pay-salary/australian-minimum-wage [5] https://mywage.org/australia/salary/minimum-wage [6] https://aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au/articles/childcare-articles/childcare-wages-in-australia