The Federal Government has announced a new Migrant Workers Taskforce to protect migrant workers in Australia from workplace exploitation by unscrupulous employers.
With the new task force headed by Professor Allan Fels, employers deliberately exploiting workers will face tougher penalties. A new higher penalty category of ‘serious contraventions’ will be introduced to deal with employers who intentionally rip off workers.
Minister for Employment, Michaelia Cash said the Taskforce will bolster the Government’s efforts to crack down on employers seeking to take advantage of migrant workers and deliver better protections for all workers.
“A number of recent high-profile cases where vulnerable migrant workers have been underpaid and exploited at work have exposed unacceptable gaps in the system,” Minister Cash said.
“While the Government acknowledges that the majority of employers do the right thing by their employees, we will not tolerate exploitation in Australian workplaces.”
The exploitation of migrant workers affects a range of industries, and in recent cases, it has become clear that some employers have blatantly ignored their responsibilities under Australian law.
The Taskforce will monitor the progress of 7-ELEVEN in rectifying its breaches but will also be tasked with identifying regulatory and compliance weaknesses that have led to such incidences of widespread exploitation.
“We know that overseas workers are potentially more susceptible to exploitive practices, which is why we must introduce stronger measures to maintain the integrity of their working experience in Australia,” said Senator Cash.
The government said the Migrant Worker Taskforce delivers on a critical part of its election commitment.
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