Wage Theft & Exploitation
Select research on labour exploitation, underpayment and wage theft in Australia.
Blue Harvest: Wage Theft & Other Infringements in the NSW 2019/20 Berry Harvest
This report was a central pillar of a campaign to reform the poorly designed ‘piece-rates’ payment system in Australian horticulture. 11 months after this report was published, the campaign was ultimately successful, with the introduction of a minimum wage in Australian horticulture. The reform has been described by the Australian Workers’ Union, which commissioned the research, as its most significant industrial relations victory in its 135 year history.
In the Media
Read more in the Australian, the ABC, SBS, and 7 News.
Listen to my 7am Podcast appearance explaining the campaign.
The Economic Impact of Wage Theft in South Australia
This report quantified the economic cost of wage theft in South Australia. Its findings were used as justification for the South Australian Labor Party’s 2022 election commitment to criminalise wage theft in South Australia.
In the Media
Read more in the Advertiser.
The Impact of Wage Theft on Queensland’s Economy & Workers
This report quantified the economic cost to Queensland’s economy of unchecked wage theft. It served as the economic rationale behind wage theft criminalisation in the state.
In the Media
Read more in the Brisbane Times.