Australia's National Farmers' Federation (NFF) has called for urgent reform of regional workforce and migration settings, saying the government's emergency process for critical farm worker visa cases is only a short-term pressure valve, Beef Central reported.
Under that process the NFF can refer cases where a Working Holiday Maker has been identified for a specific farm job and their timely arrival is critical. NFF President Hamish McIntyre said the cooperation was welcome but that farmers "had the rug pulled out from under them" when Working Holiday Maker processing changed without consultation, just before peak planting and harvest. "We cannot rely on emergency measures to harvest crops, care for livestock, and keep food and fibre moving through the supply chains," he said.
McIntyre said the PALM scheme for Pacific and Timorese workers is valuable but not a like-for-like substitute, because backpackers provide a mobile workforce for short, intensive seasonal windows. He said the pressure comes on top of record-high diesel prices and rising business costs.
The NFF wants regular Working Holiday Maker processing restored, PALM improved, skilled migration made more practical for regional employers, a purpose-built agricultural visa developed with industry, strong worker protections through accreditation and enforcement, and consultation with agriculture, tourism and regional businesses from the start.
Source: Beef Central
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