News

A refugee labour hire worker has been awarded $964,254 by the Supreme Court of Queensland 20th December 2017 for a back injury suffered at a Rockhampton meatworks.

Mr. Rahmatullah Baig was employed on a labour hire contract with AWX Pty Ltd and worked at Teys Australia Central Queensland Pty Ltd where he suffered a prolapsed disc.

Justice McMeekin noted that the plaintiff’s poor English and lack of understanding around Australian practices and cultural differences and the pressures on a refugee immigrant should be taken into consideration in that they provide a very different background against which to judge the actions and motivations of the injured worker.

This case is important to reinforce the need to ensure that workplaces and the PCBU ensure that all workers are properly instructed, trained and supervised – especially if they are from Non-English speaking backgrounds.