"Record $660,000 penalty for underpayment of worker," 3 Aug 2017 (subscription only)

A record $660,000 in penalties has been awarded against the former owner of a Melbourne fruit market and his company for not paying an Afghan refugee worker any wages for weeks. Federal Circuit Court judge Philip Burchardt found that the worker, who spoke little English, had been underpaid $25,588 over four months, an “enormous amount for such a short time”. Abdulrahman Taleb, the former owner-operator of the Sunshine Fruit Market in Mel­bourne’s west, was penalised $16,020 and his company Mhoney Pty Ltd penalised $644,000. Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James said the $660,020 in penalties was the largest ever achieved as a result of the regulator’s litigation... [also refers to Rubee Enterprises Pty Ltd]