FEDERAL Deputy Opposition Leader in the Senate Kristina Keneally says she has “significant concerns” that changes to Australia’s visa system will open backpackers up to exploitation in the country’s horticultural sector.
The New South Wales Senator told Federal Parliament this week that while Member for Mallee Anne Webster had described labour shortage this harvest as a crisis, relying on an increasing number of backpacker visas would not solve the issue.
“The Morrison government is trying to claim that backpacker visas are a solution to the horticultural labour shortage that our farmers and fruit growers are facing across Australia,” Ms Keneally said.
“Backpacker visas are effectively meant to be extended tourist visas with the option of working in Australia,” she said.
“By comparison, the government is now relying on these visas to ensure fruit across Australia is being picked and farms are being tended to.”
Ms Keneally said she agreed with Victorian Farmers Federation vice-president Emma Germano who said in August that the horticultural sector needed something more sustainable than backpacker visas.
“Let’s be clear — there has been a rapid increase in the number of people arriving by plane from Malaysia and from China seeking asylum,” Ms Keneally said.
“It is being used as a way to access the Australian labour market — it is unmanaged temporary migration for employment,” she said.
Ms Keneally said that both people arriving by plane and those on backpacker visas were at risk of serious exploitation in the labour market in Australia.
“The stories of people on backpacker visas being exploited in various ways — from underpayment to sexual servitude — are abhorrent,” she said.
“The exploitation of migrant workers is bad for all Australian workers.
“My most significant concern about backpacker visas isn’t about the numbers; it’s about the third-term Liberal National government’s attitude toward backpacker visas and the potential for exploitation.”
Federal Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie last week assured Sunraysia growers she was confident they would have the required legal workforce to maximise this season’s fruit harvest.
Ms McKenzie on Wednesday said the government had been sourcing Pacific Islander workforce in recent months and they were “ready to go”.
“As many workers as our growers need here locally will be available,” Senator McKenzie said.
She said that while this season would provide some challenges, she was confident “going forward” that the horticulture industry in Sunraysia had a bright future.
