Sri Lanka defends diplomat fined for exploitation in Australia

COLOMBO (AFP): Sri Lanka’s government has defended a top diplomat ordered by an Australian court to pay over $360,000 in back wages to her former housekeeper held in Canberra under “slavery-type conditions”.

Colombo’s foreign ministry said Himalee Arunatilaka, currently Sri Lanka’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, including the International Labour Organization, had followed government-approved rates in paying low wages.

Arunatilaka had previously been Colombo’s Deputy High Commissioner in Canberra for three years, up until 2018.

The Federal Court of Australia on Thursday found Arunatilaka had breached the Fair Work Act and was not entitled to diplomatic immunity.

Australian media reports said the court ordered Arunatilaka to pay more than Aus$540,000 in back wages and interest to Priyanka Danaratna.

“She worked seven days a week for three years, and she had two days off in that entire time — and she did that because she burned her hand while preparing some food,” her lawyer David Hillard was quoted as saying.

She was not given unpaid breaks, not paid overtime or penalty rates, and not paid regularly or issued payslips.

“It’s an example of how modern slavery works,” he said.

The court was told that Danaratna was paid a total of Aus$11,212 for three years of work, while the national minimum wage for a 38-hour week was Aus$656.90.

After running away from the diplomatic compound, Danaratna had sought refuge with the Salvation Army.

However, Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry said wages paid to the maid were at rates approved by Colombo.

“The allowance approved by the ministry as the salary of the employee has been paid to her,” the ministry statement said.

“The ministry is satisfied that the said salary was paid to the domestic assistant by the employer as mutually agreed.”

The statement came over the weekend after criticism on social media and calls for the government to respond to the Australian court.