The death of a food delivery rider in Melbourne’s CBD has reignited urgent calls for platforms to be held accountable for the safety of their gig workers under existing work health and safety laws.
Feng Jianming, a 47-year-old delivery rider working for the HungryPanda platform, was fatally stabbed at around 8:10pm on Thursday 6 November 2026 near Frederick Way in Melbourne’s CBD, close to the Queen Victoria Market. A second HungryPanda rider, aged 34, was also stabbed and hospitalised during the same incident.
A 51-year-old man has since been charged with murder and intentional serious injury in relation to the attack.
The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) responded swiftly, calling on WorkSafe Victoria to investigate whether HungryPanda had properly assessed and controlled safety risks for its riders — including risks associated with working late at night in the city.
The TWU has long argued that gig economy platforms have obligations under WHS legislation as effective controllers of the conditions in which their workers operate, including the hours they work, the areas they cover, and the demands placed on their time.
The Chinese Consulate-General in Melbourne also issued a statement calling for justice for Mr Feng and his family.
Mr Feng’s death is not an isolated event. Delivery riders across Australia have faced a range of serious safety risks — from dangerous road conditions and dog attacks to the kind of violent crime that ended his life — with many in the sector arguing that platform businesses have failed to fulfil their duty of care.
Under model WHS laws, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) has a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers. That duty extends to workers who are not employees, including gig workers engaged through digital platforms.
Whether HungryPanda discharged that duty adequately is now a question for WorkSafe Victoria. The outcome of any investigation will be watched closely by the gig economy sector and WHS regulators across the country.
The National Safety Online team extends its sincere condolences to Mr Feng’s family and friends.
