Backpacker boss sacked

SP Exports owner Andrew Philip has fired a Bundaberg contracting company after backpackers and former staff made claims of abuse in Wednesday's NewsMail.

SP Exports managing director Andrew Philip among the rows of tomatoes near Cordalba.

SP EXPORTS managing director Andrew Philip yesterday sacked a contracting company under fire for its alleged mistreatment of employees, saying it had “gone too far”.

Several backpackers and former employees approached the NewsMail earlier this week saying they had been refused water, verbally abused and been incorrectly paid while staying in hostels and working for Cali and Max Posun’s company Ailem, which owns and leases The Panda Motel in Childers, East Bundy Backpackers and two local contracting companies.

Mr Philip said he while he believed pay issues had been corrected, he had little doubt the workers had been verbally abused.

“If people are willing to work, they shouldn’t need to raise their voices at them,” he said. “We need to ensure supervisors and contractors are respecting our staff.”

Mr Philip said he believed an incident in which workers did not have access to water for five hours was an isolated incident.

“I was told there was water there, but it was at the end of the row and there was some trouble with machinery that day, so it took some time,” he said.

Mr Philip said the contract was also terminated due to a conflict of interest.

“We didn’t think it was appropriate with them being involved with so many businesses,” he said.

“It is definitely something we will look at in the terms and conditions of future contracts. But the biggest thing for us was really how our staff was ere being treated.”

Mr Philip said, as the biggest producer of tomatoes in Australia, SP Exports was focused on meeting ethical standards set by companies they supplied to, such as Coles and Woolworths.

“SP Exports alone pays more than half a million dollars in wages every week, so we need people to appreciate the farming community and see the positive side to the industry,” he said.

“I am looking forward to working with the ombudsman to tidy the industry up and get it back on track. We have nothing to hide here.”

Queensland Workplace Rights Ombudsman Don Brown said Mr Philip’s move sent a strong message to the industry.

“I congratulate SP Exports for making the appropriate inquiries and taking action to ensure they are working with reputable companies,” he said.

The NewsMail contacted Mr and Mrs Posun for comment, but they immediately hung up.
 

Originally published as Backpacker boss sacked