The minimum wage for Australia’s netballers "will more than double under a significant pay deal" to be announced on Tuesday as Netball Australia takes steps to "ensure all new contracts will be heavily scrutinised," according to Rebecca Williams of the HERALD SUN. Netball Australia will announce the details of its collective bargaining agreement for the new national netball league, with athlete contracting for the competition to officially open on Monday "after months of speculation about player movement." The total player payments for the new league are "expected to almost double under the increased pay deal as the sport embarks on a new era with its Australian stand-alone eight team competition." In the trans-Tasman league, the salary cap was set at A$270,000 ($201,500) with a A$50,000 ($37,300) bonus for finals and match payments "plus extra layers for additional benefits, such as phones, cars or rental assistance." The new TPP "will see the introduction of a hard cap for retaining contracts plus an additional pool, which will also be concrete, for employment, education or ambassadorial deals." But it is the players at the lower-end of the pay scale who are "set to reap the rewards of the new deal, with the minimum salary set to more than double" from the previous base wage of A$13,250 ($9,888) in the trans-Tasman league (TTNL). That means the minimum wage will be greater than the A$25,000 ($18,660) "being paid to the marquee players" in the new Australian Football League women’s league (HERALD SUN, 9/13).
