Five Riverina growers and one labour hire provider have been issued compliance notices following surprise inspections by the Fair Work Ombudsman, with combined back payments totalling $5,710 ordered for four employees.
The Fair Work Ombudsman conducts unannounced workplace visits across Australia to verify that employers are paying correct wages and overtime rates, issuing proper pay slips and providing information about employee rights.
Inspections targeting the horticulture sector in the Riverina were conducted in June and have resulted in 11 investigations of growers and 13 relating to labour hire providers. In addition to the compliance notices, one grower received a $3,300 fine.
The enforcement action comes as data published earlier this year indicates the Riverina region has the second highest rate of non compliance in Australia. The region recorded a 72 per cent breach rate among targeted employers who failed to meet obligations under federal workplace laws. Only Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley recorded a higher rate at 83 per cent.
Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said the regulator was maintaining its focus on holding horticulture employers accountable. She noted that inspectors have made surprise visits this year to Coffs Harbour, the Riverina and the Sunraysia region, areas that have been among the least compliant horticulture regions nationally in recent years.
“So far we have ensured that more than $70,000 owed has been put where it belongs, in employees’ hands, and have issued close to $77,000 in fines for workplace law breaches,” Booth said.
She indicated that the majority of back payments and fines have been paid by labour hire providers, though some growers directly employing workers have also been found in breach.
Booth expressed concern that some growers appeared to believe they could outsource compliance responsibilities to non compliant labour hire providers, a practice the regulator is working to address.
The Fair Work Ombudsman emphasised its commitment to building a culture of compliance across the horticulture sector, acknowledging that this cannot be achieved in isolation. The organisation continues to work with employer groups and unions to help employers understand their obligations from the outset.
Booth encouraged employers to familiarise themselves with workplace obligations and make use of the extensive range of free educational resources available specifically for the horticulture sector. The inspections have particularly focused on protecting vulnerable visa holders who are often employed in these roles.
This article appeared on Back Country Bulletin in 13 December 2025.
