PHARMACY owners in NSW who fall foul of the State's tax collectors could face penalties in excess of $100,000 as part of new legislation being proposed by the Berejiklian Government to combat wage theft.
NSW Finance Minister, Damien Tudehope, said the legislation will be put to the State Parliament next month, the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) reported.
A Pharmacy Guild of Australia spokesperson told Pharmacy Daily that the organisation "will monitor NSW Government developments and update members as required".
Under the proposed laws employers who lie to Revenue NSW officials, or make false records to evade tax will face maximum penalties of $110,000 per breach.
Revenue NSW will also be empowered to name and shame offenders, and to pass on information relating to wage theft to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
"The NSW Government is committed to playing its part in tackling wage theft as the underpayment of wages is not only unfair but completely unacceptable," Tudehope said.
"Those who engage in wage theft deprive workers of their due wages and also minimise their payroll tax liabilities while gaining a competitive advantage over those who do the right thing."
Tudehope added that the Federal Government "needs to show leadership in this space", and put the issue of wage theft back on its agenda.
Unions NSW Secretary, Mark Morey, told SMH that Revenue NSW was not sufficiently equipped to monitor employers appropriately, and called for changes to empower unions to inspect businesses' books to check for wage theft.
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