The Minimum Wage Act 1983 (the Act) states that the governor-general may prescribe by order in council minimum rates of wages payable to any class or classes of workers. The class or classes of workers are to be defined by reference to their ages. It is not mandatory to prescribe such wage rates. The minister of labour is required to review any minimum wage rates prescribed under the Act before 31 December of each year but is not required to recommend that such rates be adjusted. The Act is silent on both the objectives of minimum wages and the criteria that are to be applied in setting or reviewing minimum wages. The Act does not apply to apprentices, certain classes of people engaged in training and inmates of charitable institutions.