The Minns Labor Government is continuing its commitment to crack down on labour hire firms and agribusinesses that put workers at risk with a SafeWork NSW compliance blitz resulting in over 40 notices issued to labour hire providers and agribusinesses across New South Wales.
Two targeted operations in the NSW Riverina and Coffs Harbour regions focused on the horticulture sector saw SafeWork NSW inspectors visit farms, packhouses and agricultural businesses to identify and address work health and safety risks associated with labour hire arrangements and complex supply chain arrangements.
An eight-day compliance operation in the Coffs Harbour region ahead of the berry picking season saw inspectors visit 28 businesses, issuing 34 compliance notices, including 29 improvement notices and 5 prohibition notices requiring immediate action to address serious safety risks.In the Riverina, SafeWork NSW partnered with the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) in a two-day joint compliance operation involving 32 businesses.
SIRA authorised officers verified workers compensation insurance coverage and reviewed workplace injury registers against workers compensation claims.
SafeWork NSW inspectors issued 16 improvement notices during the operation, covering matters including moving plant, electrical safety, and hazardous chemicals.
SafeWork NSW and SIRA are assessing further regulatory action where significant non-compliance has been identified, including the potential issuance of penalty notices and premium recovery action.
The targeted blitz is another example of SafeWork NSW and SIRA working together to protect vulnerable workers.
SafeWork will share their findings with federal law enforcements where required following amendments to the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025, which commenced in July 2026, enabling SafeWork NSW to enter into formal information sharing agreements with prescribed Commonwealth regulators and law enforcement agencies.
Minister for Work Health and Safety and Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis said:
"The Minns Labor Government has zero tolerance for the exploitation of workers. Every worker has a right to access their entitlements and the right to work and live in a safe environment.
"This blitz has identified over 40 safety breaches across the horticulture sector and highlights the joint operation between state and federal agencies to crack down on dodgy operators.
"The compliance notices issued should serve as a warning to operators doing the wrong thing - you are on notice and if you are exploiting workers, we will throw the book at you.
“As we consider all options for a Labour Hire Licencing Scheme, we are actively engaging with businesses and unions through forums like the yearly Farm Safety Roundtables and the annual Construction Round Table."
SafeWork NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer said:
"Managing work health and safety in the horticulture sector is a complex regulatory issue which often requires a coordinated response across multiple state and federal agencies.
“SafeWork NSW and SIRA play an important preventative role through regulatory oversight of work health and safety and the Workers Compensation Scheme.
"The results from both compliance operations are clear indicators that while SafeWork NSW is actively pursuing compliance, there is still more work to be done.
"SafeWork NSW is committed to ensuring workers across New South Wales have access to healthy and safe workplaces and we are actively engaged in making this a reality for all workers in the horticulture sector.”
SIRA A/Chief Executive Samantha Taylor said:
“The workers compensation scheme is a fundamental safety net for workers in NSW so they have access to support and compensation if they are injured at work.”
“The strong collaboration between SIRA and SafeWork NSW is critical to holding employers to account to provide a safe workplace, reducing the risk of injuries and supporting return to work if injures do occur.”
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