Safe Staff, Safe Venues wins award for hospitality workplace safety
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Safe Staff, Safe Venues, an initiative of the Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC) in Australia, received the Cultural Change Champion award from The Age Good Food Guide for improving safety and support in the hospitality industry.
The VTHC launched Safe Staff, Safe Venues in June 2025 to address unsafe workplace cultures and protect vulnerable workers, including women, international students, and those on temporary visas, in hospitality, arts, and events.
The program conducts workshops and venue visits to educate workers about unacceptable behaviour, their rights, and how to find support. Safe Staff, Safe Venues partnered with organisations like the Couch International Student Centre and the Migrant Workers Centre to address issues such as wage theft and exploitation, creating a network for workers to share experiences and solutions. This work followed investigations into sexual harassment and gender-based violence within the Australian hospitality sector.
The VTHC also advocated for legislative changes, successfully campaigning for a ban on the misuse of non-disclosure agreements in sexual harassment cases, which took effect in Victoria on July 1, 2026. Additionally, they secured a requirement for sexual harassment prevention training in Responsible Service of Alcohol accreditation programs starting in November 2025, hoping to create lasting, systemic change.
