Australian regulators raid Griffith horticulture farms in Operation Flint

A joint compliance operation called Operation Flint, led by the Australian Taxation Office, the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Australian Border Force, visited more than 15 horticulture farms in Griffith, New South Wales, primarily targeting citrus growers.

Investigators are examining allegations of underpaid wages, penalty rates, superannuation shortfalls, tax and PAYG withholding failures, inaccurate payslips, incorrect income reporting, and breaches of the Migration Act 1958 that include migrant worker exploitation and unlawful immigration assistance.

ATO Assistant Commissioner Tony Goding warned that “there’s no room for operators cutting corners,” stressing that outsourcing labour does not relieve employers of responsibility. Fair Work Ombudsman senior manager Anna Booth reminded growers they remain liable for workers’ lawful entitlements even when using labour‑hire providers.

The Shadow Economy Taskforce selected firms using risk profiling, data analytics and community tip‑offs. Across New South Wales, 44 individuals and entities were prosecuted for shadow‑economy offences in the last financial year, and the Riverina region recorded an 83 % breach rate among labour‑hire employers.