Helen Dalton’s bombshell video points finger at Gundaline
By Krista Schade
Independent Member for Murray Helen Dalton has released a video, calling out foreign farm owners, and Australia’s farming managers, saying lives are at risk, and hush money is offered to workers to stay silent.
It is believed the video has been released to both The Riverine Grazier and the Sydney Morning Herald, as part of an investigation by Ms Dalton and her team.
"We spoke to six separate whistleblowers," Ms Dalton said.
"These people need to be protected because they have their careers to think about.
"There are very powerful and vindictive people involved in these issues and I don't blame the informants for staying anonymous.
“Ultimately the public will need to trust that we have investigated this matter well, but to avoid retribution, we have hidden people's identities."
It focuses on Gundaline Station, on the Sturt Highway near Carrathool, the subject of repeated concerns several months, calling out owner Ausuntech and farming manager Customised Farm Management (CFM).
“When Aussie workers spoke up, they claim they were bullied or sacked,” Ms Dalton said.
Protecting workers is what prompted the outspoken Member for Murray to act. She undertook her own investigation across several months, before releasing today’s video.
“Enough is enough,” Ms Dalton said. “We must listen to Aussie workers before it’s too late.”
Claims made include being instructed to lie to authorities.
“You were told, okay, leave a few obvious things for them to see.
“A few small things we can easily fix ourselves. That way they (authorities) won’t dig too deep and find the larger problems.”
To date, information provided to media, Australian Workers Union (AWU) and authorities has been provided anonymously, by farm workers who fear being blacklisted.
“CFM have their hands in a lot of the labour hires,” one source said.
“We might not be able to get work in the district if we come forward publicly.”
The video claims Chinese grown cotton is no longer wanted by international fashion houses such as LaCoste, Armani, Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss.
When Gundaline came onto the market, it was snapped up by Chinese-owned Ausuntech, as a way to grow ‘clean’ cotton, under the day-to-day management of Moree-based CFM.
In the video, Gundaline workers speak about “dodgy” practises, and Ms Dalton claims the risks were high.
“It didn’t take long before untrained foreign workers were risking their lives, and the lives of others.
"I get upset because we have family farms doing the right thing and making sure they are compliant, then overseas operators come in and flout the rules.
"What is the upside for our local communities?
These foreign owners don’t send their kids to school in Hay or shop locally.
"The Foreign Review Investment Board (FIRB) process needs to be reviewed to weigh up the benefits to Australia, of selling off these big farms."
The investigation uncovered images of heavy items left hanging on chains in the workshop and jack-knifed machinery, and incidents such as electrocution near-misses.
One former worker said the situation was scary.
“You think, well what am I going to see? What will I need witness to?
“Will I go out one morning and find a worker has jumped on machinery at night and rolled it into a channel, and you find them dead?”
Ms Dalton said she knows of other farming enterprises in the region, where worker safety was a low priority.
“Over the years as an MP I have seen serious accidents happen when farm safety is not taken seriously and it is not on,” she said.
The allegations surrounding Gundaline Station began back in January 2023, when The Grazier ran a story about foreign ownership concerns raised by NSW Senator Perin Davey.
From there, former staff, whistleblowers and the AWU came forward alleging worker safety concerns, biosecurity breaches and bullying tactics, all denied by CFM.
Most recently, allegations of a fuel spill in early 2023 was investigated by Murrumbidgee Council and the NSW Environment Protection Authority, finding no action was required.
The Dalton video explains in details what happened during the incident, according to those on-site at the time.
Separate desktop investigations are also underway by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) into concerns Aboriginal scarred trees had been removed from Gundaline’s Red Gum forests.
According to a compliance officer Wendy Illingworth, statutory notices were issued to CFM as the land manager and timber cutter Michael Strange, but evidence of wrong-doing needs to be “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Ms Illingworth said the Department would organise an on-site visit “at some stage” but efforts by The Riverine Grazier to pin down a date for inspections received no response.
The Grazier also requested copies of the notices from DECCEEW, but the response from the media unit was that it was not appropriate to comment, while the matter was subject to an investigation.
Ms Dalton has previously called for NSW Government departments to take action on what she called “rouge operators”.
"We pay for these government services in our Local Land Services levies," Ms Dalton said.
"There should be an expectation of a customer value proposition that compliance is being taken seriously."
Read background stories:
Senator calls for transparency over $120 million Gundaline sale — The Riverine Grazier
Fuel spill fish kill alleged at Gundaline Station
Cotton growers call for accreditations to be stripped
Member for Murray Helen Dalton: “Rogue operators must be held to account”
Murrumbidgee Council launches investigation into fuel spill
