Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry responds to Australian court ruling on wage exploitation case
The Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed its stance following the Australian Federal Court’s ruling against Himalee Subhashini Arunatilaka, the former Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Canberra, who was ordered to pay over $500,000 in a wage exploitation case.
In an official statement, the Ministry stated that it is satisfied with the payments made to the domestic worker, Priyanka Danaratna, during her employment.
The Ministry asserted that the salary approved for Danaratna was paid in full by Arunatilaka, as mutually agreed upon.
According to the Ministry, Danaratna completed her three-year term and allegedly “absconded” from the residence just before the employer’s planned departure from Australia.
This response comes in contrast to the findings of the Australian Federal Court, which ruled that Danaratna was severely underpaid, working under conditions that violated Australian labour laws.
The court’s decision included an order for Arunatilaka to pay $374,000 in unpaid wages, along with $169,000 in interest.
Arunatilaka presently serves as the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office in Geneva.
