Scott Morrison weighs into George Calombaris’s $8million scandal - saying underpaying workers is as bad as unions exploiting them
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison has weighed in on the George Calombaris scandal
- The Prime Minister likened the scandal to worker exploitation by unions
- Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has also made his thoughts known
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and opposition leader Anthony Albanese have both weighed in on the George Calombaris wage theft scandal.
In the most recent sitting of parliament Prime Minister Morrison likened Calombaris underpaying his staff by almost $8million to worker exploitation by unions.
As a result, Attorney-General Christian Porter has started work on new legislation which would see worker exploitation criminalised, 7 News reported.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and opposition leader Anthony Albanese have both weighed in wage theft after the George Calombaris saga made headlines again
'There are bills ... that deal with the wage theft that's occurring in the union movement,' Prime Minister Morrison said in parliament.
'On top of that, there are bills in the parliament right now that deal with the wage theft that's occurring in the union movement through workers' entitlement funds.'
The former MasterChef judge was fined $200,000 last week after being found guilty of underpaying his restaurant staff by almost $8million.
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Labor leader Anthony Albanese also addressed parliament about the issue and said restaurant workers being ripped off was of great concern.
Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michelle O'Neill pointed out that Mr Calombaris would have made money in interest on the money that was owed to his staff than the amount he was fined.
'They didn't prosecute the company, they instead did a sweetheart deal where all they had to do was of course promise to pay the money back,' she told Sky News.
The former MasterChef judge was fined $200,000 last week after being found guilty of underpaying his restaurant staff by almost $8million
Labor leader Anthony Albanese told parliament that restaurant workers being ripped off was of great concern
Attorney-General Porter also described the penalty handed to Calombaris as 'light'.
'Our government has a zero tolerance for this sort of behaviour, whether that is underpayment or wage theft,' he said.
The announcement last Thursday came after a four-year investigation into Mr Calombaris' company Made Establishment.
Former Hellenic Republic waiter Aidan Carter said the MasterChef judge had scant regard for his workers' mental health.
'It is quite poisonous - it's a hard thing on everyone's mental health I think. There would be so many issues within the industry,' he said.
Mr Carter worked at Calombaris' restaurant for five years - four of which he claimed he was underpaid.
The ex-employee said like many in the hospitality industry, he worked anywhere up to 55 hours a week, but was paid for just 38 while others had worked up to 70.
Calombaris had blamed the issue at his high profile Melbourne restaurants - including Hellenic Republic, Press Club and Gazi - on 'historically poor processes'.
Calombaris had blamed the issue at his high profile Melbourne restaurants - including Hellenic Republic, Press Club and Gazi - on 'historically poor processes'
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