• Resources

Labour hire hosts in the horticulture and meat and poultry processing industries are the target of a new communications campaign by the Labour Hire Authority (LHA).

Building on earlier campaigns targeting workers in these industries, this new host-focused campaign launches this month across digital, social media and press channels and will run until June.

Advertisements encourage hosts in the targeted industries to use the tools on the LHA website to check the labour hire licences of providers they have engaged or are seeking to engage.

Messaging highlights the need for host businesses to only source labour hire workers through licensed providers.

Labour Hire Licensing Commissioner, Steve Dargavel, said the campaign would help to ensure host businesses have the tools and information to meet their obligations.

“Horticulture and meat processing workers are among the industry’s most vulnerable, so it’s crucial that we empower businesses trying to do the right thing to meet their obligations – and only use licensed providers,” Commissioner Dargavel said.

“Businesses face significant penalties and disruption to their business if they use unlicensed providers,” he said.

Under the Labour Hire Licensing Act 2018 (Vic), penalties for using or providing unlicensed labour hire services can exceed:

• $630,000 for a corporation
• $150,000 for an individual.

Campaign materials for hosts

Information for hosts – along with English and translated versions of posters, handouts and digital assets – will be available later in May for businesses and stakeholders to download on dedicated webpages:

• Horticulture hosts
• Meat and poultry processing hosts

Labour hire hosts in the horticulture and meat and poultry processing industries are also invited to attend tailored LHA webinars in May.

These one-hour sessions will support hosts’ understanding of:

• your business obligations as hosts
• common issues in the labour hire industry
• tools and resources available to support you.

For more information or to register, visit the registration pages:

• Horticulture industry – Wednesday 14 May
• Meat processing industry session – Thursday 15 May.

Compliance and enforcement in horticulture and meat processing

The horticulture and meat processing industries continue to be a focus of LHA compliance and enforcement, with significant outcomes:

• In December 2024, Nirrorn Labour Pride Pty Ltd and its director were issued penalties totalling $287,500 for failing to comply with licence obligations.
• In September 2024, Monorom Labours Power Pty Ltd and two directors were issued penalties totalling $263,889 for failing to comply with licence obligations.