Yarra valley orchard, allegedly unlicensed provider and director face legal action

2 April 2026
Yarra valley orchard, allegedly unlicensed provider and director face legal action

The Labour Hire Authority (LHA) has filed legal action in the Supreme Court of Victoria alleging a Yarra Valley orchard procured workers from an unlicensed labour hire provider.

The case filed by LHA alleges the following:

  • H. & L.M Sanders Pty Ltd, trading as Sanders Apples, procured workers from unlicensed provider Dombin Workforce Pty Ltd.
  • Dombin Workforce supplied workers to the orchard without a labour hire licence on at least 30 occasions between 1 November 2023 and 18 June 2024.
  • Bintari Endang Purwati, director of Dombin Workforce, was knowingly concerned in, or a party to the contraventions.

The case reflects LHA’s enhanced focus on compliance by host businesses, targeting the unlawful use of unlicensed labour hire operators.

“Ensuring all Victorian labour hire businesses are licensed is an essential way of protecting workers and improving the fairness and integrity of the industry,” said Labour Hire Licensing Commissioner, Steve Dargavel.

“It’s critical that Victorian business-owners know this: you face the same significant penalties for using an unlicensed labour hire company as you do for being an unlicensed labour hire company,” he said.

Under the Labour Hire Licensing Act 2018 (Vic), the same penalties apply to businesses found using unlicensed labour hire services or providing those services – maximum penalties per breach exceed:

  • $650,000 for a corporation
  • $160,000 for an individual.

“We’ve made it easy for growers to avoid dodgy operators, so if you use an unlicensed provider, you can expect to feel the full force of the law,” said Commissioner Dargavel.

“Checking a labour hire licence on our website costs you nothing and takes one minute; not checking a licence could cost you half a million dollars; the regret could last a lifetime.”

Regulators engaging the industry in Healesville

The case is the latest arising from a significant focus by regulators on the Yarra Valley, including an LHA compliance operation in February, and a 2025 Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) report that highlighted the region’s horticulture sector’s very poor compliance record.

The Yarra Valley has been a key focus for LHA compliance and enforcement activities, including:

  • unannounced site visits to growers
  • licensing action, such as refusing, cancelling, and imposing conditions on licences
  • prosecuting unlawful behaviour.

LHA regularly undertakes unannounced site visits to monitor and investigate compliance in the region, including activities with other regulators and agencies such as the FWO.

On 17 March 2026, Commissioner Steve Dargavel and Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth held a forum in Healesville to discuss common issues in the region and ways for providers and hosts to improve compliance.

Commissioner Dargavel highlighted findings from LHA’s compliance operations in the region, including evidence of serious issues such as labour hire licence fraud and unlicensed operation.

“This is an important conversation to have in the Yarra Valley, at a critical time – we need to see action,” said Commissioner Dargavel.

Around 40 representatives from the Yarra Valley horticulture and viticulture industries attended the forum, including local growers, labour hire providers, and industry bodies.

Growers were provided with guidance on protecting themselves from the risk of business disruption and fines, and involvement with criminal elements, when engaging labour hire services.

Speakers took questions from the audience and heard constructive suggestions to support compliance with the law.

 

Actions for hosts – protect your business

Hosts are urged to take two quick actions to protect their business and support LHA in working towards a fairer industry for businesses and workers:

LHA has developed a fact sheet for horticulture hosts that covers common issues and how to protect your business and your workers.

For more information for hosts on how to protect their business when engaging labour hire, visit labourhireauthority.vic.gov.au/host