[Australia] Wage theft legislation among final introductions to this state parliament

Proposed laws to jail employers who underpay workers will be among the final pieces of legislation introduced to this Queensland Parliament before the October election. Parliament returned from Tuesday to Thursday this week and the government was set to introduce the legislation following years of union pressure on governments nationwide to criminalise wage theft.

Employers found guilty of wage theft, under the new amendments to the Criminal Code, potentially face up to 10 years in prison for stealing, or 14 years for fraud. An inquiry in 2018 revealed that almost one in four Queensland workers were not being paid as much as they were entitled to. The federal government also pledged to introduce reforms of its own in 2020 following a series of underpayment scandals. Brisbane Times reports on the legislation and what else will be on the agenda in the last few sessions before the election on October 31.

Proposed laws to jail employers who underpay workers will be among the final pieces of legislation introduced to this Queensland Parliament before the October election. Parliament returned from Tuesday to Thursday this week and the government was set to introduce the legislation following years of union pressure on governments nationwide to criminalise wage theft.

Employers found guilty of wage theft, under the new amendments to the Criminal Code, potentially face up to 10 years in prison for stealing, or 14 years for fraud. An inquiry in 2018 revealed that almost one in four Queensland workers were not being paid as much as they were entitled to. The federal government also pledged to introduce reforms of its own in 2020 following a series of underpayment scandals. Brisbane Times reports on the legislation and what else will be on the agenda in the last few sessions before the election on October 31.