MEMBER for Mildura Ali Cupper says the Federal Government is playing “Russian roulette” with the livelihood of Sunraysia growers and needs to introduce an amnesty to allow undocumented workers to remain in the country for the coming harvest season.
Ms Cupper said with the Victorian Government’s labour hire licensing scheme set to start at the end of next month, the fear is undocumented workers will be forced out, decimating the horticulture industry.
The scheme only allows labour hire providers who are licensed or awaiting an application decision to operate in Victoria.
It also puts the onus on growers, with employers who use an unlicensed provider facing maximum fines of more than $500,000 for each breach, while unlicensed providers could face fines in excess of $500,000 per breach.
“We would suggest that the amnesty is the thing that needs to happen first and can be for a finite period of time, but what would also be good was if they could go a step further and have an ag visa, some legal
pathway, for people who may have or have overstayed their visas, but who are making an enormous contribution to our local economy,” she said.
Ms Cupper said while she supported the new state laws, the industry needed time to adjust to the changes and there needed to be assurances enough labour was available for the picking season.
“Local intel said 80 per cent of workers (on horticulture properties) were illegal, and that was his estimate,” she said.
“Without supporting legislation what is going to happen is there is going to be an exodus of labour that farmers have relied on for a long time from our communities and there is going to be a massive economic impact coming into harvest.
“The temporary amnesty would give the industry time to adjust to ensure that — number one there is not that exodus of workers and number two that workers and farmers feel confident and safe to be able to dob in the dodgy contractors without fear they would then incriminate themselves and be prosecuted.
“It is something we have been pushing for, we asked for a meeting with the prime minister because we thought ‘go hard, or go home’ and time is ticking.”
Providers have been given six months to transition to the scheme, with penalties to start after October 30 and a second statewide information campaign began this week so employers and providers are aware of their responsibilities.
Ms Cupper said she met with Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter before the budget to plead her case, however he said the “wheels had been turning” on the issue for a “very long time”.
“He said we aren’t going to put the brakes on now so my only option as a State MP at that point was to lobby or assist to lobby,” she said.
“So far not much joy.”
The scheme – which is overseen by the Labour Hire Authority – was established following the independent Victorian Inquiry into Labour Hire and Insecure Work, which uncovered widespread abuse, underpayment and exploitation of workers in the labour hire industry.
