The Andrews Labor Government will establish a labour hire licensing scheme to stop the widespread exploitation of Victorian workers uncovered in an independent report.
This will ensure strict oversight of labour hire companies so workers are not taken advantage of as they have been in the past.
The report into the Labour Hire Industry and Insecure Work makes 35 recommendations and clearly sets out a way forward to protect workers from being exploited.
The Labor Government is now considering the most effective and efficient structure of a licensing scheme. The other recommendations are being closely examined in advance of a full response.
The report, completed by Professor Anthony Forsyth, was tabled in Parliament today and uncovered widespread exploitation of Victorian workers.
The Inquiry uncovered underpayment of award wages, tax avoidance, non-payment of superannuation, poor occupational health and safety practices, maltreatment of workers and backpackers on visas together with some illegal conduct.
It also exposed widespread cases of worker exploitation. While this exploitation was especially prominent in the horticultural, meat and contract cleaning industries, it documented systemic underpayment and mistreatment that is not confined to Victoria.
The inquiry held 17 days of public hearings across regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne and received more than 700 submissions from individuals and organisations.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Industrial Relations Natalie Hutchins
“The findings in this report are damning of practises that have been left unregulated for too long and are tarnishing our nation’s reputation as the land of a fair go.”
“We have a proud history of standing up for the rights of workers and we will ensure these findings are used to stop this exploitation.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020