The Queensland Government will introduce mandatory licensing of labour hire companies in a bid to crack-down on rogue operators exploiting and mistreating vulnerable workers.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the scheme at a Labour Day rally in Brisbane on Monday
“You need a licence to operate a real estate agency or to be a motor car dealer, so why shouldn’t you need a licence to run a labour hire firm?,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Just last month a Queensland labour hire company was found to have underpaid workers $77,649 over a seven week period.
“Some of these workers were at times forced to work entire days harvesting produce without food or drink, without pay, as well as being forced to live in isolated transient accommodation.
“The only way to put an end to this kind of appalling exploitation is through the introduction of a proper labour hire regulation scheme.”
Ms Palaszczuk said under the proposed mandatory licensing scheme, all labour hire providers operating in Queensland would need to:
- pass a fit-and-proper person test
- comply with strict workplace laws, including workers’ compensation, wages and superannuation
- pay a license fee;
- report regularly on their operations; and
- divulge the number of employees they have engaged, along with the number of employees engaged through work visa arrangements
Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said labour hire rorts were becoming a national disgrace.
“Barely a week goes by without yet another story of blatant worker exploitation, enabled by rogue labour hire providers,” Ms Grace said.
“We consulted widely with key industry stakeholders on the challenges facing the industry and the vast majority support mandatory licensing.
“They’re sick and tired of seeing workers outrageously exploited, and fed up with being undercut by shonky operators who flout the rules with impunity.”
Ms Grace said the mandatory licensing scheme was aimed squarely at protecting workers and restoring a level playing field so ethical operators could compete fairly, without imposing any unnecessary administrative burdens.
“Our proposed new laws will be backed by stiff penalties and some offenders will be liable for criminal prosecution,” Ms Grace said.
“A compliance unit will also be established to check licence holders for continued compliance with their licence conditions, and investigate complaints.”
Legislation to give effect to mandatory labour hire licensing will be introduced in May, with the scheme expected to be up and running in 2018.
