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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Tory Shepherd

Cafe that hires 11-year-olds sparks criticism amid push for minimum age for Australian workers

Preparing strawberry jam
The Long Track Pantry in Jugiong NSW hires children aged 11 and older to work in the factory kitchen and cafe making jams and relishes. Stock image. Photograph: Westend61/Getty Images

A regional cafe which employs children as young as 11 to make jams and relishes has been criticised amid a push for a national minimum age for child workers, but others have defended the cafe against social media uproar.

The federal government is considering a recommendation to make the minimum working age 15, or 13 for “light work”, with some exemptions for those under 13.

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