Current News

Overtime penalties for casual employees engaged under the Horticulture Award commences from the first full pay period on or after Monday 15 April 2019, following a decision by the Fair Work Commission (FWC), which was handed down on Tuesday 2 April 2019. 

These changes have been confirmed, and include:

• A 15% loading (in addition to the initial casual loading of 25%) for ordinary hours work performed on any day of the week between 8.31pm and 4.59am;
• In circumstances where an employee works more than 12 hours per engagement or per day an overtime penalty rate of 150% (plus 25% casual loading); and
• In circumstances where an employee works more than 304 ‘ordinary hours’ over an 8 week period (an average of 38 hours per week), an overtime penalty rate of 150% (plus 25% casual loading).

These changes must be implemented by 15 April 2019.  All growers must ensure they are compliant with the changes to the Horticulture Award or risk non-compliance.

A copy of the Fair Work Commission's decision can be found here. 

Export Market Development Grants Scheme - EMDG

The EMDG Scheme provides a taxable grant in the form of partial reimbursement of certain expenditure incurred in the promotion of Australian products/services by  Australian businesses in overseas markets (excluding New Zealand, Iran and North Korea).

Under the scheme, businesses must have a turnover of less than $50 million and spend at least $15000.00 on export promotional activities under the categories listed below.  First time applicants, having satisfied grants entry requirements, may combine two financial years' worth of expenses to make up the $15000.00.  The grant is payable at the rate of 50% of the eligible expenditure over the first $5000.00.  

For more information on the grant and how to apply, please download the PDF attachments below.

With transition beginning on 29 April 2019, we are reaching out to labour hire providers and hosts across Victoria with a series of roadshows in March and April.

The roadshows will drill down on the role of the Labour Hire Authority, the legislation we work to, our compliance tools, licence applications and objections and key dates for the transition period.

Melbourne Information sessions:

Fruit & Vegetable Harvesting and Processing Industry 13 March (Wednesday) 1:30 - 3:00 (Wednesday) Melbourne CBD - Book here

Regional information sessions:

• 27 March (Wednesday) 5:30 - 7:00 Tatura - Book here
• 28 March (Thursday) 9:30 - 11:00 Shepparton - Book here
• 27 March (Wednesday) 12:30 - 2:00 Echuca - Book here

More dates and venues available on the website.....

From 29 April labour hire providers will have six months to apply for a licence to operate in Victoria.

If you are a "Host" ie.  business, farm or organisation that uses the service of labour hire companies to supply labour, you must use only a licensed labour hire provider. 

What are your obligations as a labour hire host?
The main obligation on hosts is to use only licensed labour hire providers to obtain the services of labour hire workers.  
Once the scheme commences, before engaging a labour hire provider, hosts will be able to find out whether the provider they plan to use is licensed by checking the online Register of Licensed Labour Hire Providers.