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Nabin Adhikari | |
|---|---|
नबिन अधिकारी | |
| Born | 1996 (age 29–30) |
| Occupations | Labor organizer, activist |
| Years active | 2021–present |
| Employer | Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) |
| Known for | Advocacy for Gig economy worker rights; Legislative campaign for "Closing Loopholes" Bill |
| Notable work | Featured subject in No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia |
Nabin Adhikari (born 1996) is a Nepalese-Australian labor organizer and advocate based in Canberra. He is recognized for his role in campaign and advocacy for Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023 and for securing world-first safety and pay standards for gig economy workers in Australia.[1][2] Adhikari’s work is featured as a modern case study in the 2025 historical text No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia by historian Dr. Liam Byrne.[2] A recurring national spokesperson, his advocacy has been featured extensively across major Australian media outlets, including ABC News (Australia), ABC 7:30, SBS News, Triple J, The Sydney Morning Herald, Canberra Times and many more.[3][4][5]
Early life and immigration
editAdhikari was born in Nepal and migrated to Australia in 2018.[2] He relocated to Canberra in 2020 during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While working as a food delivery driver during the lockdowns, he observed that drivers delivering meals to COVID-positive households were excluded from frontline priority vaccination lists in the Australian Capital Territory, despite their high-contact roles.[6] This experience of being "essential yet unprotected" served as the primary catalyst for his entry into labor activism.[2][7]
Union career and activism
editAdhikari entered the labor movement by bridging the cultural and linguistic divides between migrant gig workers and traditional union structures. In 2021, he was appointed a delegate for the Transport Workers Union of Australia (TWU).[2]
In 2024, Adhikari led a team of six TWU candidates in the first Health and Safety Representative (HSR) election for Uber Eats in the Australian Capital Territory. The election resulted in a clean sweep for the union, with Adhikari and all five fellow TWU candidates successfully elected as HSRs and Deputy HSRs.[8] This victory established the first safety mechanism for gig workers via having voice through election among the worker, allowing them to elect representatives to oversee workplace health and safety standards.[2][8]
Legislative advocacy
editFollowing the 2022 Australian federal election, Adhikari joined the first TWU delegation to the Albanese government.[2] In April 2023, he met with Federal Transport Minister Catherine King to advocate for expanding the Fair Work Commission's powers to set minimum standards for the gig economy, characterizing the industry as "dehumanising."[9] On February 7, 2024, Representative David Smith formally highlighted Adhikari's lived experience of working in gig the transport sector.[10][11]
His advocacy was frequently cited in the Parliament of Australia as a primary driver for the "Closing Loopholes" reforms. In March 2024, Senator Tony Sheldon characterized Adhikari as a "giant" of the gig economy movement, praising his ability to organize migrant workers at the highest levels of government.[12] Senator Barbara Pocock further cited Adhikari’s testimony regarding the physical and financial risks of the sector as a primary driver for the Senate's support of the reforms.[11]
Media and public advocacy
editAdhikari has been a recurring national spokesperson for migrant workforce rights. His public profile includes:
- National Broadcasters: Recurring features on ABC 7:30, Triple J (Hack) and SBS News.[5][13][3] Following the passage of the national reforms in late 2025, SBS News highlighted his role in the "world-first" victory for gig worker protections.[3]
- Print Media: Coverage in The Sydney Morning Herald following a 2023 meeting with Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers,[4] and a feature authored for The Canberra Times (September 2023) regarding the "lived reality" of delivery work.[14]
- Crisis and Industry Response: Documented as a primary representative during the pandemic supply chain shortages in early 2022[15] and the Deliveroo market exit in November 2022[16] in reports by ABC News (Australia)[17][18] and Daily Mail Australia.[19]
- Multicultural Advocacy: Featured by Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)- Nepali and SBS News as a definitive voice for the Nepalese diaspora and migrant workers in Australia.[20]
Views and advocacy philosophy
editAdhikari maintains that moving from "algorithmic management" to human management is vital for re-humanizing the workplace, arguing that human oversight allows for empathy and direct accountability.[2][9] While his advocacy is rooted in his identity as a member of the Nepalese diaspora, he views his work as universal and aimed at protecting all workers.[2] He characterizes legislative victories as "stepping stones" rather than final goals, maintaining that "the journey never stops."[2]
Historical recognition
editAdhikari is featured prominently in the 2025 book No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia by historian Dr. Liam Byrne, published by Melbourne University Publishing.[2] Byrne describes Adhikari as a "true history maker," documenting his role as a bridge between historical labor struggles and the 21st-century digital economy.[2][21]
References
edit- ↑ "Hansard - House of Representatives 25/11/2025". Parliament of Australia. 25 November 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Byrne, Liam (2025). No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia. Melbourne University Publishing. ISBN 9780522879292.
Byrne describes Adhikari as a 'true history maker,' documenting his role as a bridge between historical labor struggles and the 21st-century digital economy.
- 1 2 3 Charles, Briana (November 25, 2025). "Fair Work shake-up: gig workers secure pay rise and protection". SBS News.
- 1 2 Patty, Anna (April 6, 2023). "Tip your delivery drivers: Treasurer's plea for gig economy workers". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ↑ Lindell, Jasper (August 24, 2021). "Canberra food delivery drivers left feeling vulnerable in lockdown". The Canberra Times.
- ↑ Samaras, Denholm (6 September 2021). "Demand on food delivery drivers surges amid ACT lockdown". Canberra Weekly.
- 1 2 "International interest in TWU". Owner Driver. July 16, 2024.
- 1 2 Bakan, Sezen (23 April 2023). "Food delivery drivers are overworked, underpaid and seeking help". The New Daily.
- ↑ "Hansard - House of Representatives 7/02/2024". Parliament of Australia. February 7, 2024.
- 1 2 "Hansard - Senate 20/03/2024". Parliament of Australia. 20 March 2024.
- ↑ "Hansard - Senate 20/03/2024". Parliament of Australia. 20 March 2024.
- ↑ Adhikari, Nabin (September 14, 2023). "I deliver food to politicians every week, but they won't make laws to keep me safe". The Canberra Times.
- ↑ Lindell, Jasper (January 14, 2022). "Supply chain struggles as shortages continue". The Canberra Times.
- ↑ Lindell, Jasper (November 17, 2022). "Canberra food delivery drivers left vulnerable by Deliveroo exit". The Canberra Times.
- ↑ Evans, Jake (June 6, 2022). "Labor's gig economy changes could mean higher prices for consumers". ABC News.
- ↑ Zubiri, Inigo (July 13, 2022). "Delivery drivers demand workers' rights after series of deaths". ABC News.
- ↑ McPhee, Sarah (November 17, 2022). "Deliveroo closure Australia: Riders slam shutdown, call for gig economy reform". Daily Mail Australia.
- ↑ "Government prepares for battle over the gig economy". SBS Nepali. February 12, 2024.
- ↑ Byrne, Liam (2025). Personal inscription in No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia.
Dear comrade Nabin, A true history maker! Thank you for letting me share your inspiring story.
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