Wednesday, 5 June 2019

 Mr RICHARDSON (Mordialloc) (19:17): (745) My adjournment matter this evening is to the Minister for Industrial Relations, and the action I seek is an update on the progress of the Andrews Labor government’s wage theft policy and how it will protect workers in the Mordialloc electorate. The importance of this policy has been highlighted in recent times by the challenges facing former workers of the Bay hotel in the Mordialloc electorate. The Bay hotel was for many years the place to catch up with family and friends over a meal, over a beverage or two, across the road from the beautiful Mordialloc Creek and Port Phillip Bay. Sadly, this beautiful image was shattered when in February of this year workers at the Bay hotel noticed that their wages were not being paid on time. Shortly after that no wages were being paid at all, and in May the Bay hotel closed its doors and the dedicated and passionate staff were left without jobs, with months of pay and entitlements taken away. During that time frame the former owner of the Bay hotel sold the bricks and mortar of the business for $6.15 million and began leasing it back to a new landlord. Millions of dollars were secured from the sale of the premises while millions were ripped away from the workers of the Bay hotel. And to add further pain to these workers, we have learned that five years worth of superannuation was never paid into the accounts of Bay hotel workers in Mordialloc. United Voice Australia has done a wonderful job of taking up the fight for their wages and entitlements, and I place on the record my admiration for their hard work and their fight on behalf of these wonderful workers.

The Andrews Labor government committed at the last election that employers who deliberately underpaid or did not pay their workers at all would face massive fines and up to 10 years jail under new laws to be introduced when it came to government. This legislation will be crucial for all Victorians, and I will fight alongside United Voice for what is rightfully these workers’ entitlements and wages. I want to take this opportunity to join the call for the former owner of the Bay hotel in Mordialloc to do the right thing immediately: pay your workers the millions of dollars in wages, entitlements and superannuation right now that are owing to the wonderful workers of the Bay hotel in Mordialloc. I ask the Minister for Industrial Relations to update my community on the progress of the Andrews Labor government’s wage theft policy and how it will protect workers in the Mordialloc electorate.