Team Van Diemen SA Pty Limited prohibited from employing trainees after investigation

A company that operates 12 Domino’s Pizza shops in South Australia has been banned from employing trainees – now the head office has spoken out.

Twelve Domino’s shops will not be able to employ traineeships following an SA government investigation. Picture: Glenn Campbell

A franchisee who owns 12 Domino’s Pizza stores in South Australia has been banned from employing trainees and apprentices after an investigation into the company.

The South Australian Skills Commission (SASC) declared Team Van Diemen SA Pty Limited a prohibited employer after it failed to provide both on and off-job support to its trainees and apprentices while paying them at trainee rates.

Mark Peter Johnson – the sole director of Team Van Diemen SA Pty Limited – has also been declared a prohibited employer under the Commission’s declaration.

Of the 269 training contracts undertaken by staff at Team Van Diemen SA, since the company’s registration in 2021, only 48 were successfully completed.

SA Skills commissioner Cameron Baker said trainees were not being released to undertake training, a key requirement of their traineeship. Picture: Supplied

SDA SA Secretary Josh Peak expressed concerns young staff were being paid less while on traineeships. Picture: Brett Hartwig

A further 72 training contracts were withdrawn, and 145 were terminated by the SASC.

SA Skills commissioner Cameron Baker said their investigation established that the majority of the trainees at Mr Johnson’s stores “weren’t being released to undertake training”.

“When you’re released for training, you should also be paid for that external training process,” he said.

“So that was the other key indicator for me, that this was not a legitimate traineeship.”

SDA SA Secretary Josh Peak, whose union represents both retail and fast food workers, supported the commissioner’s decision.

“It’s a really strong and bold step by the skills commissioner to not just cancel these traineeships but to also ban the employer from continuing to participate in the training scheme,” he said.

“It’s also about sending a signal to the entire sector.

“Traineeships are there to provide workers with real skills, not to pay workers less.

“All traineeships must provide a meaningful benefit to the workers undertaking them.”

A Domino’s spokesperson said the company was not aware of the circumstances that led to the franchisee being named on the Prohibited Employer Register.

Domino’s is committed to ensuring compliance with workplace obligations across all areas of our business,” they said.

“We take these allegations seriously and are reviewing this matter as a priority.”

The Advertiser has also attempted to contact Mr Johnson for comment.

The SASC action was part of an expansion of the Commission’s regulatory functions, which the government said was done to protect and support South Australian trainees and apprentices.

The expanded compliance program has led to a 27 per cent increase in the number of employers investigated in 2024 compared to the previous year.

Education, Training and Skills minister Blair Boyer said the government was committed to ensuring trainees and apprentices were being supported and businesses compliant with the law.

“This is a clear case where the employer has not acted in the best interests of its trainees and has failed to provide the support required for their training,” he said.

Originally published as Team Van Diemen SA Pty Limited prohibited from employing trainees after investigation