Tuesday, 17 March 2026

 Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (13:00): (2225) My question is to the Minister for Industrial Relations. Bendigo-based charity MADCOW has raised serious concerns about the financial and compliance burden imposed by the Labour Hire Authority. MADCOW is already subject to rigorous regulation and audit by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission at a cost of around $10,000 per year. Despite this, it is also required to comply with the Labour Hire Authority’s reporting regime, paying more than $3300 annually and a further licence renewal fee of over $4800 every three years to provide information already given to the ACNC. In effect, charities such as MADCOW are paying to report exactly the same information to two bodies. For charities operating with limited resources, this duplication diverts funds away from frontline community services. I would appreciate a response and ask the minister to review the application of Labour Hire Authority fees to ACNC-audited charities and consider an exemption in these circumstances. I first raised the issue a year ago and, despite repeated follow-up, have received no response from the minister to date.