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NSW Labor has pledged to introduce a bill for an economy-wide labour-hire licensing scheme within its first 100 days if re-elected. The proposal is not law: providers would need a licence and host employers would have to use registered providers, but the bill, design and start date remain unsettled.
What NSW Labor has promised
On 2 October 2026, the Minns Labor Government said it would release a bill within the first 100 days of a new term if re-elected. The proposed scheme would cover all industries and sectors in NSW. Labour-hire providers would need to be licensed, and businesses using labour-hire workers would be required to use registered providers. NSW Government announcement, 2 October 2026.
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That timetable is for introducing a bill, not for the scheme to begin operating. Commencement would depend on legislation and the final design. The announcement does not set out a bill text, detailed licensing tests, the regulator, penalties, or review and appeal arrangements.
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The government linked the pledge to an independent probity investigation into the Western Sydney Airport Metro project, which it said resulted in the termination of a major contractor. In its account of the Kimber Report, the government said several labour-supply companies were incorporated within days of one another at the same residential address, shared a director and secretary, and used encrypted messaging apps to send invoices and supporting material. NSW Government announcement, 2 October 2026.
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The government also said the investigation identified suspected worker underpayment, insurance fraud, tax fraud and more than $10 million in unaccounted invoices. These are suspected matters and reported investigation findings, not convictions or a court determination of criminal liability. NSW Government statement on the Kimber Report, 2 October 2026.
The government said concerns about labour-hire providers had also been raised by farmers, unions, businesses and the NSW Modern Slavery Committee, including in horticulture.
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What pressure is documented—and what is not
There was public pressure before the pledge. On 6 August 2026, the government welcomed a Modern Slavery Committee report calling for a labour-hire licensing scheme. It said it was considering a NSW scheme while continuing to prefer nationally harmonised principles and reviewing other jurisdictions’ models. NSW Government response, 6 August 2026.
Unions NSW also urged urgent licensing, citing committee recommendations and alleged exploitation in horticulture, including in Coffs Harbour and the Nambucca Valley. That is union advocacy and should be understood as such. Unions NSW, 6 August 2026.
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The specific internal Labor pressure suggested by the headline cannot be established from the accessible information about the Sydney Morning Herald article. The public record cited here shows committee and union advocacy; it does not identify which party insiders pressed for a change, when they did so, or how their actions affected the policy. Sydney Morning Herald, 2 October 2026.
What the proposed scheme could include
The government says it will develop the scheme after consulting workers, unions and industry and examining interstate models. Its stated design intentions include alignment with national labour-hire licensing principles, business education and penalties for non-compliance. Those details remain proposals rather than settled statutory requirements. NSW Government announcement, 2 October 2026.
Any final scheme will need to specify practical matters that the announcement leaves open: the standards providers must meet, how host-employer duties are checked, which body administers and enforces the rules, and what review rights apply. The government has not yet published precise NSW bill provisions addressing those questions.
Other measures the government says are underway
The government also described complementary work beyond the proposed licensing bill:
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- Data sharing between SafeWork NSW and federal bodies, including the Australian Taxation Office, Australian Border Force and the Australian Federal Police.
- An information-sharing and referral arrangement with the NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner.
- A Labour Hire Code of Practice and a Supply Chain Compliance Program.
- A Migrant Workers’ Centre.
These are separate measures the government says it is undertaking; they do not mean that statewide labour-hire licensing is already in force. NSW Government announcement, 2 October 2026.
Quick Recap
Timeline
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| 6 August 2026 | The NSW Government responded to the Modern Slavery Committee’s call for licensing, said it was considering a state scheme and maintained a preference for national harmonisation. Government response. |
| 6 August 2026 | Unions NSW publicly called for urgent licensing and referred to committee recommendations and alleged horticulture exploitation. Union statement. |
| 2 October 2026 | The Minns Labor Government made a conditional election pledge to release a bill within the first 100 days after re-election. Government announcement. |
What workers and businesses should take from the pledge
- It is a NSW state election commitment, not a federal Labor policy or a current statewide licensing law.
- The first-100-days promise applies only if the Minns Labor Government is re-elected, and refers to introducing a bill.
- The intended reach is economy-wide, with obligations proposed for both labour-hire providers and host employers.
- The operational rules, enforcement arrangements and commencement date have not been settled in the announcement.
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