A Historic Milestone: Australia’s First Minimum Standards for On-Demand Delivery Workers
In a landmark moment for the Australian gig economy, a comprehensive new minimum standard for on-demand food delivery workers officially comes into effect on Monday 17 August.
The binding Minimum Standards Order (MSO3), established by the Fair Work Commission, introduces an industry-wide safety net for hundreds of thousands of platform delivery workers in Australia while preserving the flexibility that sits at the heart of on-demand work.
The Minimum Standards Order establishes robust, minimum standards for on-demand delivery people. It creates a new minimum pay standard for independent delivery workers without capping how much they can earn. It also mandates industry benefits like personal accident insurance and clearer dispute resolution. Importantly, while it provides an industry-wide standard and safety net, it preserves the independent, flexible nature of platform work that on-demand delivery workers value most.
This landmark framework reflects a historic joint consent position developed through years of proactive collaboration between the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU), DoorDash, and Uber Eats.
TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said, “The world is looking on as gig workers in Australia win new rights and protections that will change their lives, after years of campaigning for a better industry.
“Gig workers in Australia were left outside of our workplace systems for far too long. From Monday, they will be entitled to an absolute world-leading set of standards that we will build on over time. We acknowledge the constructive discussions with Uber Eats and DoorDash which have led to this historic moment.
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Amanda Rishworth said, "The Fair Work Commission’s minimum standards decision was enabled by the Albanese Government’s Closing Loopholes laws and is a milestone in delivering stronger protections and a fairer safety net for gig economy workers.
“This order is a big step in delivering Australia’s world-leading gig worker protections and means food delivery workers don’t have to trade off flexibility for fairer protections.”
Ed Kitchen, Managing Director of Uber Eats Australia & New Zealand said, “This is a great moment for gig workers who play such a critical role in Australia’s economy and in the lives of millions of Aussies who rely on food delivery every day. This is modern reform for a modern way of work that proves fair standards and flexibility can co-exist. Uber Eats is proud to have worked alongside the TWU, DoorDash and government to forge this industry-first framework, having advocated for sensible protections for years. These standards provide a guaranteed safety net while protecting the flexibility delivery people tell us they value most. We look forward to continuing to provide reliable and affordable services to the merchants and consumers who rely on us every day.”
Maggie Lloyd, Head of Public Policy APAC, Central Asia and the Middle East at DoorDash said, “This marks a defining moment for Australia's on-demand economy and for the thousands of workers who deliver for Australian families and businesses every day. These new standards prove that strong worker protections and the flexibility that delivery workers value can go hand in hand. DoorDash has worked with the TWU, industry and government over a number of years to help shape a framework that provides greater certainty for delivery workers while preserving the independence that underpins platform work. This sets a new benchmark for modern workplace regulation and demonstrates what can be achieved when industry, unions and government work together.”
Together, all parties aim to ensure a seamless transition that sets a sustainable precedent for modern, balanced workplace protections in the gig economy.