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Category: Agricultural Crops / Industrial Relations

Labour hire inquiry hears claims of backpackers' poor living conditions

Thursday, 3 Mar 2016 18:50:04

Thomas Towle says poor conditions include accommodation with mattresses side by side on the floor and no doors. (ABC News: Isabel Dayman)

A South Australian Government inquiry into the labour hire industry has heard stories of poor living conditions and wage mismanagement surrounding backpackers and visa-holders working in the state's Riverland district.

Barmera backpacker accommodation provider Thomas Towle told the inquiry that he knew of cases where backpackers had tax deducted from their pay and never passed over to the Tax Office.

He said some had been forced to live in sub-standard accommodation in order to secure jobs.

"I know of one house (for backpackers) ... where there were mattresses side by side on the floor," Mr Towle said.

"No tables, no chairs, no washing machine, no doors ... so no privacy.

"Are the backpackers being mistreated or not ... and generally speaking, in my opinion... they are."

He said while the region's larger labour hire companies were reputable, more regulation and higher standards were needed for smaller, self-titled contractors.

"Perhaps the genuine labour hire companies could be responsible for the contractors ... and perhaps there should be qualifications for contractors."

The South Australian Wine Industry Association, Citrus Australia SA, labour hire company "MADEC" and Safework SA also gave evidence, generally stating they had not had much personal experience with worker exploitation in the Riverland.

The Economic and Finance Committee's chairman, Lee Odenwalder, said the committee had not been shocked to hear about problems in the labour hire industry.

"We've heard from some big players in the labour hire industry who are reputable and we've also heard ... that there are some less reputable players filling a much smaller niche in the labour hire market," he said.

"The committee's inquiry was instigated by the Four Corners special last year ... so the evidence we heard (today) wasn't so much of a surprise.

"We intend to visit more regions."

The committee will report back in the second half of this year.

AustraliaPlus


 

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