More than two dozen Hanmer Springs hospitality and retail businesses were inspected by Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) teams during a two-day operation in response to allegations of migrant worker exploitation.

Dubbed “Operation Poplar,” the late-October initiative involved 26 businesses and was launched after complaints about potential serious and systemic exploitation in the area.

The operation included MBIE’s Labour Inspectorate, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) Compliance, Risk and Verification teams, and Tenancy Services.

Simon Humphries, Head of the Labour Inspectorate, said the crackdown was a coordinated effort to address concerns and ensure businesses were following employment and immigration laws.

“Working closely with our colleagues from Immigration NZ Compliance, Risk and Verification and Tenancy Services we visited a total of 26 businesses over the two days the teams were in the area,” said Humphries. “The operation was a good example of MBIE’s use of an integrated approach to compliance and enforcement with the teams working closely together for a common goal.”

The Labour Inspectorate prioritised checking that minimum employment standards were being met and that employers were fulfilling their responsibilities. Meanwhile, INZ teams verified compliance with immigration regulations for migrant workers.

“While the teams are still collating the data collected during the operation, Labour Inspectors have started comprehensive reviews of the employment records and minimum employment standards at eight hospitality and retail-related businesses, and investigations are ongoing,” said Humphries.

The operation also served as an opportunity to educate business owners about their legal obligations and inform employees about their entitlements, he said.

MBIE’s Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team (TCIT) participated in three site visits to accommodation provided by employers to workers. Brett Wilson, TCIT National Manager, said his team also visited a private rental property to follow up on concerns raised during the operation.

“As a result of these visits, TCIT will be following up on a number of breaches that were identified and also provided on-the-spot education to the landlords about their responsibilities under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (the Act),” said Wilson.

The investigations into breaches of both employment and tenancy laws are ongoing.