‘Stubbornly non-compliant’: Workplace watchdog fines ag employers $316,860

The list of agricultural employers fined by the Fair Work Ombudsman have been released, with a Victorian region leading the country.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has fined employers in Sunraysia $136,344 for record-keeping and payslip breaches.

Victoria’s northwest is leading the country in dodgy practices by agricultural employers, according to the latest figures from Australia’s workplace watchdog.

The Fair Work Ombudsman announced on Wednesday it had fined ag sector employers a total of $316,860 and recovered $72,301 for underpaid workers since launching its agriculture strategy in December 2021, with $146,000 in fines issued since May this year.

In a statement, the FWO described the horticultural regions surrounding Mildura, in northwest Victoria, Coffs Harbour in NSW and the Riverland in South Australia as “stubbornly non-compliant” with workplace laws.

Other regions, including Wide Bay, Moreton Bay, Stanthorpe and Manjimup had “improved workplace practices”, the FWO said.

In the Sunraysia region surrounding Mildura, 37 businesses have been fined $136,344 for record-keeping and payslip breaches, with the majority of fines ($129,000) handed to labour hire companies. There was $14,389 recovered for 20 workers.

In Adelaide and Adelaide Hills, 16 businesses were fined $70,000, with two investigations ongoing. Employers in South Australia’s Riverland received $50,000 in fines; and on the Whitsunday coast, $23,507.

Investigations are ongoing in NSW’s Riverina, with two compliance notices issued to date and 22 investigations continuing.

Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said the regulator would continue its focus on the agriculture sector in 2023-24.

“With very high numbers of visa holders in the workforce, too many agriculture employers

are breaching record-keeping and pay slips laws, which are the bedrock of workplace

compliance,” Ms Booth said.