Melbourne, November 13
Australian authorities have conducted a joint inspection of more than 30 fast-food outlets, restaurants and cafes in Melbourne’s central business district this week over suspected breaches of workplace and tax regulations.
Officials from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and the Fair Work Ombudsman carried out unannounced inspections at various businesses over three days.
The inspections focused on suspected cases of employees being underpaid and businesses operating without proper registration or compliance with tax and superannuation (retirement savings) requirements.
Authorities said information gathered during the operation would be used to determine whether further investigations, audits or legal action were necessary. Investigations are ongoing.
The campaign, conducted under ‘Operation Resonance’, was based on information received from local communities, complaints and findings from previous inspections. Members of the public can report suspected violations to the relevant authorities while keeping their identities confidential.
International students report workplace exploitation
International students in Australia, including those from Nepal, have also faced various forms of workplace exploitation.
Students have reported being pressured to work for cash, receiving wages below the legally required rates and, in some cases, not being paid for work they have completed.
Speaking to Onlinekhabar in connection with the inspections of restaurants and cafes in Melbourne, Nepali international student Smarika Rai said she had experienced mistreatment, mental pressure and underpayment at her workplace. She also said she had not received her final wages.
Similarly, Kamana Shrestha, a Nepali student studying on the Sunshine Coast, said she had been made to work for a week without pay after being promised a job.
According to Shrestha, she was initially told to work for a week as training, with an assurance that she would be offered employment afterwards. However, she later discovered that other students had also been given similar promises and made to work without pay.
Their experiences highlight the employment challenges faced by international students who work to support themselves while pursuing their studies in Australia.
Under Australian law, requiring employees to work without pay under the guise of training or paying them below the legally prescribed rates can raise legal concerns. Employers are generally required to pay workers for their work, depending on the nature and circumstances of their employment.
Even when wages are paid in cash, employers must meet their tax, record-keeping and other legal obligations.
The Fair Work Ombudsman has stated that workers on visas have the same workplace rights as other employees in Australia and can speak up when those rights are violated.
According to the agency, more than 3,538 employees working in the fast-food, restaurant and cafe sectors recovered over AUD 5.6 million in unpaid wages during the 2025–26 financial year.
