From www.khq.com.au: Wage theft has been criminalized in Australia, imposing significant penalties for intentional underpayments under the Fair Work Act 2009, with individuals facing up to 10 years imprisonment and fines of over $1.65 million.

The Fair Work Ombudsman will continue investigations and may pursue criminal referrals for serious underpayment cases, while small businesses adhering to the Voluntary Small Business Wage Compliance Code are exempt from criminal prosecution.

Other topics covered include updates on the annual wage review, changes to gender equality legislation, and recent Fair Work Commission decisions regarding workplace agreements and flexible working arrangements.