NSW Nationals leader Gurmesh Singh accused of ignoring migrant worker exploitation

NSW anti‑slavery commissioner James Cockayne submitted evidence to a parliamentary inquiry alleging that labour‑hire firms operating in the Coffs Harbour electorate are exploiting migrant workers and exposing them to modern‑slavery harms. He said four to six syndicates are linked to berry farms that supply Oz Group, Driscoll and Costa, and that the system has persisted for years.

Cockayne claimed Nationals leader Gurmesh Singh, who took over the party after Dugald Saunders’ resignation, had been “on notice for a long time”. Singh rejected the allegations as a political statement, demanded an apology and said no evidence had been provided. The dispute highlights concerns about intimidation of whistle‑blowers and political influence in the region.