2 October 2026
Rogue labour hire operators must be stamped out, with licensing schemes targeting those who do the wrong thing without burying honest farm businesses in unnecessary red tape.
That’s the view of NSW Farmers following today’s announcement by the NSW Government that it will introduce a NSW labour hire licensing scheme if re-elected.
NSW Farmers Horticulture Committee Chair Chris Stillard said exploitation had no place on farms and unscrupulous labour hire operators harmed workers, legitimate businesses and the reputation of the wider industry.
“A small number of providers are cutting corners, undercutting legitimate businesses and dragging down the reputation of the whole sector,” Mr Stillard said.
“They need to be found out and shut down.
“Exploitation has no place in agriculture. Growers who do the right thing should not be undercut by operators who don’t, because that hurts workers and honest businesses alike.
“Growers rely on labour hire to get crops picked, packed and to market. They need confidence the providers they engage are legitimate, and a licensing scheme can help provide that confidence if it is designed and implemented properly, in consultation with industry.”
Mr Stillard said NSW Farmers continued to support a nationally consistent labour hire licensing scheme rather than a patchwork of different state-based systems.
“A national approach remains the most sensible long-term solution because labour hire providers and workers operate across state borders,” Mr Stillard said.
“If NSW proceeds with its own scheme, it needs to recognise licences issued elsewhere and avoid creating another layer of duplication and unnecessary regulation. It is also critical that any legislation clearly distinguishes labour hire from legitimate independent contracting and service provision.
“Farming runs on specialist contractors. When a farmer engages a shearing team, harvest contractor or aerial spraying business, they are paying for a job to be done, not simply hiring workers.
“These businesses bring their own equipment, expertise and supervision and are engaged to deliver a defined result.
“If the definition is too broad, thousands of legitimate rural businesses could be caught up in a licensing system that was never intended for them.”
NSW Farmers said any NSW scheme must:
- protect all workers, including seasonal and migrant workers, from unlawful employment practices
- recognise equivalent licences issued in other jurisdictions
- be backed by strong enforcement, meaningful penalties and effective dispute resolution
- provide transparent licensing standards and public information about licence and enforcement status
- remain focused on genuine labour hire arrangements rather than independent contracting and service provision
- be publicly funded rather than relying on cost recovery from growers or legitimate labour hire businesses.
“Farmers already carry a significant cost and compliance burden, and a labour hire licensing scheme that simply loads more fees and paperwork onto legitimate farm businesses would miss the point,” Mr Stillard said.
“The focus must be on identifying and removing rogue operators while making it easier for farmers to know they are dealing with reputable providers.
“We will work constructively with the Government on the detail of any NSW scheme, while continuing to advocate for a nationally consistent system as the long-term solution.”
