Australia has issued a minimum standards order for on-demand delivery employees. The new order issued by Fair Work Commission (FWC) includes terms about minimum hourly rates, insurance and right to (unpaid) time away and more.
According to a media release by FWC, the 17-page order “Interim On-Demand Delivery Employee-like Worker Minimum Standards Order” covers employee-like workers (also known as gig workers) who are engaged through an app and mainly perform on-demand delivery of ‘consumables’ (food, beverages or supermarket groceries), and the operators of the digital platforms who engage them.
The minimum standards order has been issued following public consultation on the draft order that was published on 8 July 2026. Minor amendments have been made to the draft on public and expert suggestions. A major change has been the change of the name of the draft order and the updated order has come into effect from 26 August 2026.
The order contains terms about the following issues:
- minimum rates of pay
- vehicles
- consultation & feedback
- records
- fines
- insurance
- dispute resolution
- right to (unpaid) time away
- information sharing
- delegates’ rights, and
- a gig worker information statement
According to a report by Reuters, the gig workers will be paid at least A$31.30 ($22.11) an hour, above Australia's minimum wage of A$26.44, while remaining responsible for maintaining third-party insurance for vehicles used for deliveries.
Companies will be required to provide "a reasonable minimum level of insurance cover" for personal accident insurance, although the order did not specify a ?minimum level of coverage. The order is expected to benefit about 250,000 workers.
The order follows the International Labour Organization's decision in June to adopt the first binding employment standards for gig workers, potentially giving them rights around pay, safety and social benefits. Those standards still require ratification by governments.