Hospo, tourism, retail businesses under scrutiny in swoop

11th April 2025 By Staff Reporter | news@propertyticker.co.nz | @propertyticker

The Labour Inspectorate has completed a compliance operation in the Bay of Islands with dozens of businesses identified for visits by inspectors.

The five-day operation called Operation Orzo, which started last Monday, 31 March, included unannounced visits to 58 retail and hospitality businesses in Kerikeri, Paihia, Russell, and nearby suburbs Haruru, Opua and Waipapa. 

Inspectors also interviewed almost 100 workers about their employment conditions at cafés, bars and pubs, restaurants, backpackers, fuel station retail stores and liquor outlets.

The Labour Inspectorate’s compliance manager for the northern region, David Milne, said: “At this stage we will not be providing any updates about what transgressions we may have found until such time as all the data collected has been assessed.”