• Welcome articles

Welcome to the November edition of LHA News.

Last week, LHA published its 2024-25 annual report, which shows our sixth year of operations was successful in building upon our mission to protect workers and improve the integrity of the industry.

We finalised 335 compliance investigations in 2024-25 and undertook a range of legal actions to make the industry fairer for businesses and workers.

This year was also important for expanding our compliance and enforcement activities, targeting a broad range of industries – such as construction, which saw the highest total penalty for breaches of labour hire law in Australia – $759,674 – issued by the Supreme Court of Victoria in September 2024.

Our focus on construction will only grow in 2025-26, with the expected introduction of new regulatory powers for LHA to address unlawful behaviour and improve industry integrity, which you can read about this month.

We also look at progress in 2024-25 towards our strategic objectives – to create and maintain a fair and lawful labour hire industry, and to achieve high impact compliance and enforcement outcomes.

We hope you enjoy this edition.

Steve Dargavel
Labour Hire Licensing Commissioner

In this Edition

• Victorian Government introduces bill to strengthen LHA’s powers to address unlawful conduct in construction
• High-impact outcomes and targeting non-compliance in high-risk industries in 2024-25
• Maintaining a fair and lawful industry – progress in 2024-25
• New regulations on psychosocial hazards in the workplace – in effect from 1 December
• Upcoming engagement sessions for schools and new providers
• Providers subject to licensing action in September 2025

Licensing update

October 2025:

• 82 Licence applications submitted 
• 159 Licence renewals granted 
• 107 Licences granted 
• 64 Licences refused or cancelled

Resources

• WorkSafe Victoria is calling on everyday Victorians to consider the toll on workers who may experience yelling, swearing and hostility as part of their day to day work. Find out more on the WorkSafe Victoria website.
• Health Services provider Caraniche, supported by Apprenticeships Victoria, is offering free training sessions for employers to support apprentices to be mentally healthy. Register for online or in-person training at the Apprenticeships Victoria website.