"Labour-hire operator allegedly flouts laws relating to overseas workers on Queensland farms", 7 Feb 2017

The Fair Work Ombudsman’s national Inquiry into exploitation of overseas workers on the Australian harvest trail has led to the Agency launching legal action against a Queensland labour-hire operator for allegedly flouting record-keeping laws.  Facing the Federal Circuit Court are labour-hire company HTA Farmings Pty Ltd and company manager Tuan Anh Le...The FWO alleges that a lack of basic records of hours worked prevented its inspectors from checking whether almost all employees were being paid their minimum lawful entitlements...The FWO...claims HTA Farmings allegedly also contravened pay slip laws and failed to have piece work agreements in place for employees who were paid piece rates.  Many of the 265 employees were overseas workers from Asian countries and were in Australia on 417 working holiday visas at the time.  The Harvest Trail Inquiry is focusing on the horticulture and viticulture sectors nationally in response to ongoing requests for assistance from employees in the sector, persistent underpayments and confusion among growers and labour-hire contractors about their workplace obligations...