in particular we have to make sure that people are capable of being in employment and earning wages that keep them and their families out of poverty in australia for example an independent report to die fair pay commission proposes that an increase to the minimum wage is one method of increasing family income and reducing child poverty similarly a study in japan also proposes that to improve the economic wellbeing of households with young children the first task is to ensure a minimum wage that maintains a reasonable living standard in the united kingdom the report of the national equity panel argues that the minimum wage is a powerful tool in reducing labour market inequality