Queensland labour licensing program meets lukewarm response
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the new laws yesterday, saying that in the future labour hire companies would need to be registered, pass a 'fit and proper person' test and regularly report on the visa arrangements of their workers.
But the peak bodies for both labour hire companies and fruit and vegetable growers have criticised the move and questioned its timing on a Labour Day public holiday to mark the achievements of the labour union movement.
Recruitment and Consulting Services Association CEO Charles Cameron said the new regulations were a political fix, and did nothing to harness supply chain and commercial pressures that were much more likely to make an impact.
"Relying on retailers at the top end of the food chain right through to the packing sheds and, of course, the growers themselves, to only use a certified provider will ultimately result in a more sustainable solution."
A spate of cases involving the exploitation of farm workers has sent shockwaves through horticultural industries, with many growers expressing outrage at the abuse and concern about the long-term damage to their reputation.
source: abc.net.au
