Wage Garnishment Queensland — How Redirection of Earnings Works

Queensland does not use the term "garnishee order" in its civil procedure rules. The equivalent for wages is a Warrant for Redirection of Earnings under Form 78 of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules (UCPR). It does the same thing — forces the debtor's employer to deduct money from their pay and send it to you.

When Wage Redirection Makes Sense

Form 78 is the most reliable enforcement tool when the debtor has steady employment. The employer handles the deductions automatically each pay cycle, and the money comes to you without the debtor having to do anything voluntarily.

It works poorly when the debtor is self-employed, unemployed, or paid irregularly through a company they control.

How to Apply

File the standard three-document package with the Magistrates Court registry:

1. Form 9 — application
2. Form 74 — supporting statement (must be sworn at least two business days before filing)
3. Form 78 — the warrant itself, specifying the employer's name and address

There is no court filing fee.

In the Form 74, you must state the total debt remaining (principal plus post-judgment interest), confirm that the debtor is employed, and identify the employer. This information typically comes from a Form 71 (Statement of Financial Position) or an enforcement hearing.

What Happens After the Warrant Is Issued

The court issues the warrant, and it must be served on both the debtor and the employer. It takes effect seven days after service on the employer. From then, the employer must deduct the amount specified in the warrant from the debtor's earnings each payday and remit it as directed.

The employer must make the deductions and payments specified in the warrant while it is in force.

Protected Earnings

When setting a Form 78 deduction, the court considers the debtor's necessary living expenses, other liabilities, and whether the deduction would cause unreasonable hardship. The rules set no fixed protected-earnings dollar threshold. Social security payments cannot be redirected at source.

The warrant states the amount to be recovered and the amount to be deducted each payday.

Comparing Wage Redirection to Bank Redirection

If the debtor has both a job and a bank account, you might consider either Form 78 (earnings) or Form 76 (bank account balance). The key difference: Form 76 captures whatever is in the account at the time the warrant is served — a one-time grab. Form 78 captures a portion of every pay cycle until the debt is satisfied. For larger debts, earnings redirection recovers more over time.

For a side-by-side comparison of all four warrant types and their costs, our Queensland QCAT Order Enforcement Guide includes a warrant decision matrix.

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