One of Australia’s largest labour hire firms oversaw foreign workers pocketing just $100 per week after it deducted hundreds of dollars in additional costs.
That was despite the company’s chief executive telling a Senate committee the workers earned more than expected under the Australian government’s Pacific Labour Scheme. Two Samoan whistleblowers have also told of how they felt “punished” for giving earlier evidence against the labour hire firm.
On Thursday, a Victorian strawberry grower told the Senate Select Committee on Job Security that a worker named Aleki had earned more than $900 for a week’s work.
Sunny Ridge’s managing director Matthew Collard said Aleki’s take home pay was significantly reduced when the labour hire firm MADEC deducted several costs.
