The Minns Labor Government is today launching the state's first dedicated Migrant Workers Centre, delivering on our commitment to create this centre which will help protect every worker in this state, regardless of where they come from.
Migrant workers have long been vulnerable to underpayment, unsafe conditions and outright exploitation, which undermines the rights and protections of workers across the state.
The Migrant Workers Centre is expected to support 2,000 at-risk workers per year through culturally sensitive, community-connected support, with the Minns Labor Government committing $6.5 million over four years to deliver these services.
Unions NSW has already proven what's possible, supporting over 3,000 temporary migrant workers through their Visa Assist partnership with Immigration Advice and Rights Centre (IARC), the only program in NSW offering both employment and immigration legal advice under one roof.
Several reports from Federal Government, State Government and research institutes such as The McKell Institute, have highlighted limited English, lack of understanding of Australia's workplace laws, and inadequate access to support as risk factors for exploitation.
With a Sydney CBD office and statewide outreach, the Centre will reach migrant workers in metro, regional, rural and remote communities, because Labor believes every worker deserves protection, no matter where they live or where they're from.
This builds on the action already taken by the Minns Labor Government to strengthen workers rights across the state including through:
- Criminalising industrial manslaughter
- Banned manufactured stone, launched the silica worker register and expanded worker powers to conducting air testing of silica in tunnelling
- Establishing a Bullying and Sexual Harassment jurisdiction for the first time, with powers for the Industrial Relations Commission to issue enforceable orders and award damages
- Establishing SafeWork as a standalone regulator with more inspectors
- Increased penalties for non-compliance with SafeWork orders.
For more information on the NSW Migrant Workers Centre, please visit: https://www.migrantworkers.org.au/atp_nsw
Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:
"Every worker in NSW deserves to be safe at work, paid properly and treated fairly, regardless of their background.
"This new centre will help workers understand their rights, get support when something goes wrong, and help stamp out exploitation in industries where vulnerable workers can too easily be taken advantage of.
"When workers are exploited, it drives down conditions for everyone. That's why this is about protecting standards, fairness and lawful workplaces across NSW."
Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said:
"All workers deserve to be treated with respect, to be paid fairly and to come home from work safely at the end of the day.
"We know that in some industries, migrant workers can and are being taken advantage of and this new centre will help workers know what their workplace rights are and to get support if they're not being treated fairly.
"We are listening to workers and unions, and the NSW Government has committed $127.7 million over four years to SafeWork NSW to ensure safer worker places. This includes the largest ever uplift of inspectors with an additional 20 dedicated psychosocial inspectors deployed."
Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper said:
"Hardworking migrants have helped build our state into what it is today. That's why the Minns Labor Government is launching NSW's first dedicated Migrant Workers Centre, because a fair go means nothing if it doesn't apply to everyone.
"The reality is that there are migrant workers who have been underpaid, made to work in unsafe conditions, or made to feel they cannot complain for fear of losing their visa.
"Today we are making sure every migrant worker knows their rights, and has the support to speak up if they are experiencing exploitation."
Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey said:
"Unions NSW has long been advocating for and assisting migrant workers.
"The launch of the NSW Migrant Workers Centre is an important next step towards dismantling the systemic exploitation of migrant workers.
"All workers in New South Wales and Australia, regardless of where they come from or their visa status, are entitled to safe, fair working conditions."
