Fiji’s Ministry of Employment, Productivity, and Workplace Relations has announced a planned visit to Australia in October to meet with Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) workers, Australian authorities, and employers.
This visit will involve meetings with Australian counterparts, employers, and Fijian workers under the scheme to address ongoing concerns.
This announcement follows the death of Christine Lewailagi, a Fijian worker who passed away in June 2024 while employed by Midfield Meat Group in Victoria. The ministry confirmed that Lewailagi had been working in Australia since May 2022. In June 2024, she was hospitalised in Melbourne after experiencing severe health issues, including a brain tumour, and later died after undergoing two surgeries.
“On 17 June 2024, the ministry received the incident notification from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR), and the report highlighted that Ms Lewailagi was suffering from a headache a week earlier and was taken to the hospital for assessment,” said Singh. “She was then transported the same weekend to Austin Hospital in Melbourne for further assessment and underwent two surgeries for a brain tumour. The report also highlighted that she was on life support and may not recover, which was very unfortunate. Ms. Lewailagi passed away on 19 June 2024 without recovery, and her body was repatriated back on 6th July for burial in Fiji.”
In response to concerns raised on social media regarding the working conditions of Fijian workers, Singh assured that the ministry is taking the matter seriously.
“The employment conditions and issues highlighted in the social media are being looked at with deep concerns through the Country Liaison Officer based in Victoria to ensure that the issues highlighted are addressed accordingly,” he added.
The ministry’s October visit will address broader issues faced by PALM workers, such as racism, bullying, exploitation, unsafe practices, and unfair treatment.
“The CLO together with the DEWR will verify issues with the employer and our Fijian workers to ensure that the welfare and wellbeing of our Fijian workers engaged under the scheme are well protected and are treated with respect,” Singh said.
According to the ministry, the Australian Workers Union (AWU) has also pledged its support to ensure that employers engaged under the scheme meet minimum standards.
Image by Freepik
