The Fair Work Ombudsman is keeping the pressure on employers in Australia's horticulture troublespots, with snap inspections of labour hire providers and growers in the Coffs Harbour region this week.
The regulator can also reveal that more than $70,000 in wages has been back-paid so far to underpaid workers after inspections this year of labour hire providers and growers in two other of Australia's top five least-compliant horticulture hotspots: the Riverina in NSW, and Victoria's Sunraysia (Mildura) region.
The FWO has also handed out nearly $77,000 in fines to employers for pay slip and record-keeping breaches following investigations in the Riverina and Sunraysia regions.
In Coffs Harbour, the FWO inspected about 10 businesses this week, following other inspections of horticulture businesses in August.
Across the three regions combined, about 30 investigations are continuing.
The inspections in the Sunraysia, Riverina and Coffs Harbour regions are part of a fresh targeting of horticulture employers in the least-compliant regions. The latest round of inspections arises from the findings of the FWO's Horticulture Strategy 2021-24, which involved investigations of more than 500 growers and labour hire providers in 15 regional hotspots around the country.
Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said the regulator was continuing to hold horticulture employers to account with the latest inspections in the Coffs Harbour regional hotspot.
"Our inspectors have made surprise inspections this year in Coffs Harbour, the Riverina and the Sunraysia region, which have in recent years been among the least-compliant horticulture regions nationally, checking that workers - often vulnerable visa holders - are getting paid correctly, and that employers are also complying with record-keeping and pay slip laws.
"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.
"The majority of back-payments and fines have been paid by labour hire providers. Some growers directly employing workers have also been found in breach.
"It is also concerning that some growers feel they can outsource compliance to non-compliant labour hire providers.
"The FWO is committed to building a culture of compliance across the horticulture sector. We know we can't do this alone, and we're continuing to work closely with employer groups and unions to highlight how employers can get it right in the first place.
"We expect employers to know and meet their workplace obligations. They are encouraged to use our extensive range of free horticulture sector educational resources."
Across Sunraysia and the Riverina, the most common breaches, leading to the issuing of Compliance Notices, related to alleged failure to pay the correct casual minimum wage and overtime rates, and failure to issue employees with a Fair Work Information Statement/Casual Employment Information Statement.
Infringement Notices (fines) to employers were issued due to breaches of workplace laws relating to pay slips and records of hours worked. Without a pay slip, a worker has little idea as to whether they are being paid correctly.
Sunraysia
The FWO's inspections of horticulture employers in the Sunraysia (Mildura) region in north-west Victoria this year resulted in investigations of 17 growers and 44 labour hire providers.
From these investigations, 27 Compliance Notices have been issued to 16 labour hire providers, resulting in $62,393 being back-paid to 71 employees. Five Compliance Notices were issued to four growers, with about $2,000 back-paid to two employees.
Investigations to date have resulted in fines totalling $63,030 being issued to 10 labour hire providers and $10,230 in fines to three growers.
The FWO is continuing to notify the Labour Hire Authority in Victoria of any labour hire providers that may have breached federal workplace laws.
Riverina
Surprise inspections in the Riverina region in June have so far resulted in the FWO conducting 11 investigations of growers and 13 relating to labour hire providers.
The FWO has so far issued five Compliance Notices to as many Riverina growers, and one Compliance Notice to a labour hire provider, resulting in combined back payments of $5,710 to four employees. The FWO issued a fine of $3,300 to one grower.
Coffs Harbour
The August inspections resulted in 11 investigations of growers and 12 of labour hire employers. Investigations are ongoing. Results from the August inspections and the FWO's latest inspections will be announced in due course.
The results of the 2025 inspections above are as of 19 November 2025.
The earlier Horticulture Strategy 2021-24 investigations found that NSW's Riverina region, the Sunraysia (Mildura) region and the Coffs Harbour/Grafton region of NSW each had "very high" ratings of non-compliance with workplace laws among investigated employers, at 72 per cent, 70 per cent and 61 per cent respectively.
The FWO has a Horticulture Showcase online, with resources for employers and employees in the sector. It includes information on pay and piece rates, and keeping the right records. The FWO also offers an Employer Advisory Service with tailored, written advice for employers.
