Vanuatu's Department of Labour boss has called for more to be done to protect workers in the Australian Government’s Seasonal Worker Program after his son was allegedly underpaid.
Arthur Kaluat, the 24-year-old son of Vanuatu’s commissioner of labour Lionel Kaluat, was among a group of 22 Vanuatu workers allegedly underpaid by Emmanual Bani, the owner of labour-hire firm Maroochy Sunshine.
The Weekly Times last week revealed the Fair Work Ombusdman (FWO) was taking Bani to court, claiming he underpaid 22 Vanuatu workers $77,649 for farm work they performed from July to September 2014.
According to court documents, FWO alleges Arthur Kaluat was underpaid $2230.50 by Bani.
His father, Lionel Kaluat, heads up Vanuatu’s Department of Labour, which oversees the governance of the Seasonal Worker Program for the Vanuatu Government.
Kaluat said he was aware of claims his son was underpaid and raised his concerns with Australia’s Department of Employment on a 2014 visit to Australia to attend a Seasonal Worker Program conference in Brisbane.
“It was reported the workers were being underpaid, which left them with very little to pay their accommodation, and (they) were forced to vacate their accommodation by the property owner,” he said.
“I was so concerned for their safety.”
Asked if he wanted changes to the Seasonal Worker Program to ensure workers were not exploited, he said “definitely”.
Another of the 22 workers, who did not want to be named, claimed the group complained to Kaluat about their treatment by another employer under the Seasonal Worker Program.
This worker alleged the group was paid a piece rate below the hourly minimum rate.
That employer denies all the allegations.
Bani’s case was adjourned on Monday to a directions hearing in the Federal Circuit Court in Brisbane on March 1.