On The Land
18 October, 2021
Key industry issues on the table with Federal Agriculture Minister
WATER security, seasonal labour shortages and the threat of Mexican lime imports headlined discussions at a roundtable between Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud and FNQ Growers in Mareeba last Tuesday, October 5.
WATER security, seasonal labour shortages and the threat of Mexican lime imports headlined discussions at a roundtable between Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud and FNQ Growers in Mareeba last Tuesday, October 5.
The meeting provided horticulture industry leaders and growers a front seat to table current and emerging industry issues, critical to the long-term viability of the industry in Far North Queensland.
FNQ Growers president Joe Moro said it was rare for growers to receive a hearing from Federal ministers, and he thanked Mr Littleproud for taking the time to listen to growers.
“Long-term water security and current seasonal labour shortages are burning issues for our region,” Mr Moro said.
“We took the opportunity to thank Mr Littleproud for the government’s commitment to the Agriculture Visa, which became law last week and is now subject to bilateral agreements with several southeast Asian countries.
“This will help ease the current seasonal labour shortage we are experiencing but as Mr Littleproud indicated at the meeting it will be some time before Australia sees the return of seasonal labour from overseas in any significant numbers.”
Mr Littleproud told the meeting Australia had around 160,000 backpackers pre- COVID.
Current estimates indicate there are 30,000 backpackers, with Australia losing around 2000 backpackers a month as they return home. In a sobering reality check, Mr Littleproud said Australia would not see “sizeable” numbers of overseas seasonal workers return for two to three years.
“The normality of the backpacker is that there none,” he said. “That is why we are trying to open up the Pacific scheme to make sure those workers are available.
The next thing is the Agriculture Visa – structurally that is the only way we can fill the gap over the next two to three years.” Mr Moro said growers used the meeting to flag concerns about potential requirements under the Agriculture Visa for small and medium growers to be part of an employer supply program like Fair Farms.
“We would like to see flexibility with this requirement so that any program would take in to account the past record of individual growers and that broadly, growers aren’t penalised by the minority that may not have done the right thing when it comes to fair employment practices,” Mr Moro said.
Speaking after the meeting, Minister Littleproud said the stories from the members of the FNQ Growers were similar to the stories of those in horticulture across the country.
“The labour shortages because of COVID and border closures have hit them hard,” he said.
“The Federal Government has tried to solve the problem in short term by making over 35,000 Pacific Islanders ready to come and work in Australia.
“We’ve also created the Agriculture Visa to solve the long-term problem, bringing in skilled, semiskilled and unskilled workers and giving them a pathway to residence.”
Potential opportunities to harvest water on the Walsh River system were also tabled.
While water infrastructure is a state responsibility Mr Littleproud said the Federal Government had made grant funding available to the states to build water infrastructure, provided there were approved water resource management plans in place.
