'There is no excuse': Embattled Masterchef host George Calombaris breaks his silence on $7.8million underpayment scandal - but insists he's NOT a wage thief
- George Calombaris insists he didn't deliberately underpay his employees
- Calombaris says past and present employees have now been back-paid in full
- The MasterChef host and celebrity chef has been fined for underpaying his staff
- Network Ten have backed the celebrity chef after calls for him to be fired
- His company MAdE Establishment underpaid hundreds of staff $7.8million
- The celebrity chef will pay $200,000 as part of deal with Fair Work Ombudsman
MasterChef judge George Calombaris is desperately trying to clear his name amid his food empire's $7.8million underpaying scandal, insisting he isn't a wage thief.
The celebrity chef has been ordered to give the Government $200,000 after underpaying 515 staff between 2011 and 2017 by more than $7.8million.
Calombaris, 40, apologised to his former and current employees, saying he was 'deeply sorry for what has happened' - but insisted he didn't deliberately underpay his staff.
'There are two important things for Australians to know. The first is that when we discovered there were incorrect payments to members of the team, we self reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman and co-operated with their investigation,' he told the Herald Sun.
George Calombaris (centre) denied he deliberately underpaid his staff, and said he believed he was doing the right thing at all times. Pictured with co-hosts Gary Mehigan and Matt Preston
'The second is that our team members, past and present, have been back-paid in full, and the vast majority repaid before October 2017 in consultation with Fair Work.
'There is no excuse for this and we have the systems in place now.'
In 2017 it was estimated that Calombaris owed $2.6 million to staff, but it was revealed on Thursday that figure has tripled.
Despite calls from the public and the Australian Council of Trade Unions for Calombaris to be axed from Master Chef, Network Ten have backed the celebrity chef.
Calombaris has been ordered to give the Government $200,000 after underpaying 515 staff between 2011 and 2017 by more than $7.8million. Pictured: leaving court in 2017 after an incident with a fan at the A-League grand final
'George has the support of Network 10. George and Made Establishment have reached an agreement with the Fair Work Ombudsman in relation to this matter,' a network spokesperson said.
Calombaris said he has no plans to walk away from his multi-million dollar empire following the scandal, saying his focus is on co-operating with the Fair Work Ombudsman and making sure all staff have been back-paid in full.
Hospitality union United Voice has voiced their disapproval for Calombaris' 'insufficient' fine of $200,000.
'We are truly shocked at the full extent of wage theft at MAdE Establishment. For the seriousness of this crime, a $200,000 fine is not sufficient,' United Voice national secretary Jo-Anne Schofield said.
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'If someone deliberately took $1000 out of someone else's bank account, there would be a high likelihood of a criminal conviction for theft.
'But when you're a multi-millionaire restaurateur/celebrity chef you can take $7.83 million in wages from your workers and get away with a 'contrition payment'.
The scandal surrounding Calombaris' company, MAdE Establishment, first came to light in 2017. The star blamed the issue on 'historically poor processes'.
However, following an investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman, a number of breaches have been identified, including failure to pay split shift allowances, minimum award rates and penalty rates.
Despite calls from the public and the Australian Council of Trade Unions for Calombaris to be axed from Master Chef, Network Ten have backed the celebrity chef
MAdE Establishment was also found to have failed to keep records for the number of hours salaried workers had completed, The Age reported.
He has already paid back his staff but will have his business audited for the next three years to make sure the mistake doesn't happen again.
His high profile restaurants include Gazi, The Press Club and Hellenic Republic.
A former employee of Hellenic Republic in Melbourne slammed the celebrity chef on Thursday night, claiming $7.8million in underpaid wages doesn't cover what she was shortchanged.
Orlaith Belfrage told The Project she is still owed 'anywhere between three and four thousand dollars'.
'For my overtime it was just explained that that was just how it is, and I can just suck it up and work the job, or leave,' she said.
'And I definitely think that this is systemic across the entire industry.'
The Fair Work Ombudsman began investigating in 2015 after staff from MAdE Establishment complained.
Mr Calombaris and his then business partner George Sykiotis had spoken out at the time, claiming the issues were resolved.
It wasn't until Radek Sali became involved in the business in 2016 that more discrepancies were discovered.
The company then reported itself to the Fair Work Ombudsman in 2017. At the time, Mr Calombaris blamed the issue on 'historically poor processes'.
In an email sent to staff at the time, Mr Calombaris said he was devastated by the error and vowed to repay everyone who had been affected.
