Hourly Rates

Recently i decided to have a go at working for somone else (other than running my business) for a change. I am in a city where techs are a dime a dozen. The first position i applied for and got i might add paid $14.50 per hour. I declined the position. The second position i applied for paid $12.45 per hour. Here in Australia i have been able to find one IT Award and that is in the Federal Capital City of Canberra. The award there is $17.50 per hour. I live in the so called smart state, Queensland where a storeman/person gets $17.50 per hour it just dosn’t seem to add up to me. Are employers really getting away with such a low hourly pay rate? Are there Techs out there that would get out of bed for that rate of pay? $12.45 per hour.