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Cash'sworking grouplooking atlabour hirelicensingPage1of1

Cash'sworkinggrouplookingatlabourhire licensing

27November20159:50am

TheministerialworkinggrouponvulnerablevisaworkerschairedbyEmploymentMinisterMichaeliaCashisconsideringlicensingoflabourhirecompaniesaspartofitsdeliberations,ImmigrationMinisterPeterDutton revealedinParliamentthisweek.

RespondingtoaquestionfromLaborMPMichelleRowland,Duttonsaidthatthe"possibility"of"anewlicensingregime"forlabourhirecompanies"hasbeenraisedwiththegovernment"andthattheworking groupwill"considerpolicyoptionstoprotectvulnerableforeignworkers".

PartofRowland'squestionaskedDuttonwhetherthegovernment"willconsiderimplementingaregimeforthelicensingoflabourhirefirmsbeforetheyareabletoengageinbrokering"arrangementstosupplymigrantworkerstoconveniencestoresandtheagriculturalsector.

TheMinisterialWorkingGroupProtectingVulnerableVisaHoldershasnowmettwice(seeRelatedArticle)andhasanothermeetingscheduledfornextweekbeforefurtherdiscussionsnextyear,accordingtoSenator Cash'sspokesperson.

Relatedlinks

•Related Article:Newministerialworkinggrouponforeignworkerexploitationtomeetnext week

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PARI,IAMENTARYDEBATES

HOUSE OFREPRESENTATIVESPROOF

QUESTIONSINWRITING

ForeignWorkers(QuestionNo.1556)QUESTION

1556

Monday,23November 2015

BYAUTHORITYOFTHEHOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVES

Monday,23November2015HOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVES191

QUESTION

DateMonday,23November2015

Page 191

QuestionerRowland,Michelle,MP

Speaker

Source House

ProofYes

ResponderDutton,Peter,MP

QuestionNo.1556

ForeignWorkers(QuestionNo.1556)

ForeignWorkers(QuestionNo.1556)

MsRowlandaskedtheMinisterforImmigrationandBorderProtection,inwriting,on12October2015:

Inrespectoftherecentpublicitysurroundingtheexploitationofworkersintheconveniencestoreandagriculturalsectors,(a)whatmeasuresistheGovernmenttakingto protectvulnerableworkersfromsimilarexploitation,

(b)willtheGovernmentconsiderimplementingaregimeforthelicensingoflabourhirefirmsbeforetheyare abletoengageinbrokeringsucharrangements,and(c)howmanyconvictionshavetherebeenofemployersincasesoflabourexploitation.

MrDutton:Theanswertothehonourablemember'squestionis:

(a)AllforeignworkershavethesameprotectionsunderemploymentlawasanyotherworkerinAustralia.TheDepartmentofEmploymentandtheFairWorkOmbudsmanaretheCommonwealthagencieswiththeportfolioresponsibilityandregulatorypowertodirectlyaddressexploitativepractices,viatheiradministrationoftheFairWorkAct2009.

TheGovernmenthasrecentlyestablishedaministerial-levelWorkingGrouptoconsideracrossportfolioresponsetotheissueofforeignworkerexploitation,andtoensureacohesiveandcoordinatedapproachtotheissue.TheWorkingGroupwillbechairedbytheMinisterforEmployment,SenatortheHonMichaeliaCash,andinclude:

theMinisterforImmigrationandBorderProtection,theI-IonPeterDuttonMP;theMinisterforJustice,theHonMichaelKeenan MP,and

theMinisterforSmallBusinessMinisterandAssistantTreasurer,theI-IonKellyO'DwyerMP.

FromanImmigrationandBorderProtectionportfolioperspective,theDepartmentofInunigrationandBorderProtectionhasrecentlyintroducedamm1berofinitiativestoaddresstl1eissueofexploitationofforeignworkers.Theseinclude:

theformationofajointFairWorkOmbudsmanandDepartmentoflmmigrationandBorderProtectiontaskforce

-TaskforceCadena-toinvestigateallegationsofexploitation;

increasedawarenessraisingamongstforeignworkersoftheirworkplacerightsandprotections,includingcontactdetailsfortheFairWorkOmbudsman,via updatedvisagrantnotificationinformation,websitecontentandsocialmedia;and

examinationofvisaprogrammesettingsandadjustmentswherefeasible.

For example,theDepartmentrecentlyintroducedanew integrityrequirement,effectivefrom31August2015,requiringapplicantsforasecondWorkingHolidayvisaneedtoprovidetheDepartmentwithpayslipscoveringtheirthreemonthperiodofspecifiedworkinregionalAustralia,toensurethattheiremploymenthasbeenappropriately remunerated.

(b)ThepossibilityofanewlicensingregimeforlabourhirecompanieshasbeenraisedwithGovernment.ThenewlyestablishedWorkingGroupwillconsiderpolicyoptionstoprotectvulnerableforeignworkersinAustralia.

CHAMBER

Monday,23November2015HOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVES192

(c)ThenumberofworkplacelawbreachesbasedonfmdingsofworkplaceexploitationisamatterfortheFairWorkOmbudsmantoclarifyastheresponsibleenforcementbody.

CHAMBER