• Welcome articles

I am pleased to introduce my first edition of LHA News as Victoria’s Labour Hire Licensing Commissioner. It is a privilege to lead the work of the Labour Hire Authority at this important time.   

After seven years under Steve Dargavel’s leadership, a great deal has been achieved to make labour hire fairer for Victorian workers and businesses.

It’s a credit to Steve and to LHA’s dedicated staff that I inherit an agency with a track record across licensing, compliance and enforcement.   

It’s also a credit to our team that Victoria’s labour hire industry today has a better understanding of what it needs to do, and a greater capacity to do it. But importantly, I recognise that this improved compliance capacity is not just due to LHA’s work as a regulator.   

When you work in law enforcement for three decades, as I have, one thing you learn is that to reduce harm and protect our community you need good people to make good choices.  We would not have travelled this far unless thousands of labour hire providers, hosts and industry bodies had invested their time and resources in working to get this right over the past seven years.   

So, I’d like to start with a word of acknowledgement and thanks.   

If you’ve read this newsletter, attended an LHA info session, or reviewed our guidance materials. 
If you’ve checked a licence, improved your business or supply chains, or reported non-compliance.   
If you’ve talked to your networks about the purpose and requirements of labour hire licensing.   

Thank you.   

As Commissioner, my first focus will be on understanding Victoria’s labour hire landscape, how we support the industry in compliance, and where risks and harms require our enforcement efforts.   

I am fortunate to lead a highly capable team at LHA, and I will be learning from their significant and specialised experience in the coming weeks and months. I’m also keen to talk to the industry and understand where you see the opportunities, the challenges, and how we can hone our regulatory focus. I look forward to keeping you informed as this takes shape.  

But first, looking ahead to this month’s newsletter – in this edition, we look at:  

• LHA’s just-published Annual Report 2025-26 – including some high-impact highlights, our growing impact in the construction sector, and the rollout of stronger labour hire laws.  
• Broadened labour hire laws in the construction sector – meaning from January next year, more construction companies will require a labour hire licence to operate on Victorian Government construction projects.   
• New LHA fact sheets available for labour hire providers, hosts and workers. 

I hope you enjoy the newsletter, and I look forward to working with you towards a fairer industry.  

Wayne Gatt
Labour Hire Licensing Commissioner 

In this edition 

• Labour hire law expands in construction industry  
• Maintaining a fair and lawful industry through licensing and education – outcomes in 2025-26 
• Targeting high-risk industries and high-impact harms – outcomes in 2025-26 
• New fact sheets available for providers, hosts and workers  
• Providers subject to licensing action in September 2026 

Licensing update 

October 2026: 

• 95 licence applications submitted 
• 62 licences granted 
• 112 licences refused or cancelled (by LHA or provider)  
• 110 licence renewals granted 

Resources

• WorkSafe Victoria has worked with the Pacific Island community to develop safety resources for seasonal horticulture workers in Bislama, Fijian, Tongan, Samoan and English. View the videos, posters, and guides on the WorkSafe website.