Deaths in Australia highlight pandemic plight of delivery riders Australian and New Zealand app Menulog last month moved toward treating its Australian delivery riders as employees By Andrew Leeson May 12, 2021 06:19 BST Lockdown-fuelled demand for take-out meals has brought throngs of new delivery riders onto streets around the world, but in Australia the boom has also seen tragedy with a spate of road deaths highlighting the plight of couriers. As many industries ground to a halt last year, millions lost their jobs and others were asked to work from home, 43-year-old Xiaojun Chen was among the legions of couriers who rushed out on the job.