Regulatory priorities

November 8th, 2023

Regulatory priorities

Priority sectors and issues

During 2023-24, we will prioritise underpayments and workplace protections in the following sectors:

• agriculture
• building and construction
• care
• fast food, restaurants and cafés
• large corporates and universities.

We confirm our enduring commitment to prioritise small business employers and employees and vulnerable or ‘at risk’ workers.

Focus matters

We continue to focus on matters that:

• are of significant public interest
• demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law
• are of significant scale, impact on workers or the community, or
• can provide guidance on the application of the law.

Regulatory priorities

The Fair Work Ombudsman’s purpose is to promote harmonious, productive, cooperative and compliant workplace relations in Australia. Our functions include:

• providing education, advice and assistance
• promoting and monitoring compliance with workplace laws
• investigating breaches of the law
• taking appropriate enforcement action.

We perform these functions in a variety of ways, including:

• undertaking targeted proactive compliance and education work
• responding to requests for assistance, emerging issues reported through the media (or other external sources) and self-reported non-compliance
• implementing new funding measures.

There is an element of discretion in how we allocate resources to undertake our proactive and responsive activities. Our annual regulatory priorities provide a framework through which we prioritise this resource allocation.

Our regulatory priorities focus on industries that are at significant risk of non-compliance and emerging issues that are of considerable public interest and concern. We also prioritise cohorts who, for a variety of reasons, are identified as requiring additional assistance, vulnerable or ‘at risk’ workers.