Inquest findings handed down following death of Jerwin Royupa, 21, at NSW winery
The AFP should investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a young migrant worker at a NSW winery, a coroner has said, following a landmark inquest.
Jerwin Royupa, 21, started working at a winery in NSW in February 2019 on a 407 education visa after traveling to Australia from the Philippines.
Just five weeks later in March, a Filipino national died from injuries he allegedly suffered after stepping out of a moving vehicle.
Nearly seven years later, in the NSW Coroner’s Court on Friday, NSW Deputy Coroner Rebecca Hosking delivered the findings of the coroner’s inquest, with many family members present.
The investigation examined allegations that Mr Royupa was exploited in the course of his employment as he was required to do manual labor at the winery for long hours (up to 10 hours a day) without receiving the training he was promised.
Ms Hosking told the court the evidence presented to the court would be referred to the Australian Federal Police for further investigations.
It found that Mr Royupa died at the Royal Melbourne Hospital from complications of multiple blunt force injuries after he voluntarily exited the vehicle due to fear of his sponsor.
In the days before his death, Ms Hosking said Mr Royupa had become increasingly frightened throughout his employment, admitting he was not paid as agreed and did not have access to his passport.
He said the sponsor, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, knew that he would be financially responsible if Mr Royupa escaped.
He added that the 21-year-old football player’s sponsor showed “pathetic” behavior, did not call an ambulance immediately after the incident, and then continued to humiliate him while he was unconscious.
Among other recommendations, Ms Hosking said the Home Secretary should conduct a comprehensive internal review with lessons learned from Mr Royupa’s death.
He also said there was a need for a formal review process into the Home Office’s role in reviewing 407 education visas that could be used for abuse.
It recommends that both state and federal anti-slavery commissioners work with government agencies, including the Fair Work Ombudsman, to consider measures to improve the reporting of modern slavery crimes, including the development of a national slavery helpline.
‘Hardworking and attentive’
Meanwhile, the Royupa family described Jerwin as “a sweet and kind man who was hard-working, caring and very loving towards his family.”
He was also very active in the Christian church and was always sharing God’s word, with dreams of working both in the church and in agriculture.
The night he died was the “longest and saddest night” of the families’ lives, the inquest was told.
Landmark research
The investigation is considered to be the first to examine forced labor concerns in Australia since modern slavery offenses were introduced into the criminal code in 2013.
Modern slavery recovery service Domus 8.7 said it was monitoring the investigation closely and providing support to Mr Royupa’s family members.
Before the findings were released, Lived Experience Lead Moe Turaga said the investigation had raised serious concerns about the protection of migrant workers in Australia.
“This investigation has highlighted the vulnerabilities faced by migrant workers who are tied to a single employer and isolated from support,” he said in a statement.
“The Royupa family has been waiting for this moment for many years, and we appreciate their courage and persistence in seeking answers about Jerwin’s death.”
