THERE is a sense of apprehension setting in for farmers facing the harvest season ahead. The lack of workers in the country is again causing stress and anxiety for many producers.
To deal with this widespread problem, The Nationals have secured a new seasonal agriculture worker visa. The visa will allow farmers to employ workers from ASEAN countries nine months a year, three years in a row, in skilled and unskilled positions.
I understand just how critical it is that this solution is implemented before the start of upcoming seasons in table grapes, stone fruit, and citrus in particular.
I want to reassure our local producers that the negotiations on this visa are nearing completion. I have taken the views of our local industries to the ministers concerned. We are on track to deliver this visa on time.
Not only will this visa help growers, it will help workers. It will reduce exploitation in our industries because it creates a legal avenue through which farmers can more easily access the workers they want and need. The visa will also have the right protections in place to ensure exploitation does not occur under the new program.
However, a crucial element to solving our worker shortage is quarantine. We need adequate space to quarantine thousands of workers. At the beginning of the pandemic, the Commonwealth and state governments agreed that the state governments would manage the quarantine of international arrivals due to their control of health services and police.
The Commonwealth Government has indicated that there is money on the table for purpose-built quarantine facilities, but Victoria needs to come to the table with proposals.
I have written to Premier Dan Andrews twice to urge him to put new measures in place to quarantine international workers to ensure that growers can use the new visa successfully.
The Commonwealth Government has developed a solution to our workforce challenges that meets the needs of industry. Whether it’s through on farm, hotel, or some other means, it’s time for the state to come to the party and develop workable quarantine arrangements for international arrivals.
