Fair Work to inspect Sunshine Coast and Noosa farms and restaurants

Sunshine Coast and Noosa businesses, including high-end restaurants, farms and ‘cheap eats’, will receive surprise inspections following tip-offs about alleged unfair conditions.

Sunshine Coast and Noosa "cheap eat" cafes and high-end restaurants are being targeted in surprise inspections by the Fair Work Ombudsman this week.

Farms, luxe restaurants and “cheap eat” venues are all in the firing line of the Fair Work Ombudsman, which will make surprise visits to about 35 businesses on the Sunshine Coast.

Inspectors are targeting growers, labour-hire companies and food outlets to assess compliance with workplace laws and check workers are being paid correctly.

About 20 farms and labour-hire companies in Noosa and the Sunshine Coast hinterland will be assessed.

About 15 eateries also face investigations in the Noosa Shire with venues in Noosa Heads, Sunrise Beach and Noosaville.

The businesses include a mix of “high-end” restaurants and “cheap eat” venues.

About 15 eateries in the Noosa Shire will face investigations from the Fair Work Ombudsman. Picture: Geoff Potter

Fair Work inspectors will this week speak with business owners, labour-hire operators, managers and employees and request records.

The regulator chose to act after tip-offs regarding potential noncompliance such as alleged non-payment for time worked, unlawfully low flat rates, below-award rates to visa holders, unpaid casual, weekend and public holiday loadings and other alleged pay breaches.

Noosaville is one location of the eateries that will face a Fair Work Ombudsman inspection. Picture: Kristy Muir

Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said protecting vulnerable workers and boosting compliance in the agriculture and hospitality sectors were priorities.

“We will take enforcement action where appropriate,” she said.

“We also act to ensure employers understand their legal responsibilities, including record-keeping and the minimum wage guarantee for pieceworkers in horticulture.

“We know the agriculture and fast food, restaurant and cafe sectors employ many young workers and visa holders who can be vulnerable to exploitation, as they are often unaware of their workplace rights and unwilling to speak up.”

The horticulture inspections are part of the regulator’s national agriculture strategy, which began in December 2021.

Originally published as Fair Work to inspect Sunshine Coast and Noosa farms and restaurants