Today’s Government announcement on Working Holiday Visa reforms has done nothing to quell the fears of grain growers with one of Australia’s largest harvests already under way in parts of the country.
Based on the limited information provided, growers remain concerned about processing timeframes with the prospect of three-month delays for applicants who need to be on the ground imminently.
GrainGrowers CEO Shona Gawel said the agriculture sector had highlighted the importance of Working Holiday Makers on Australian farms to the Government, but the serious concerns had been overlooked.
“Historically, 31 percent of the grains industry workforce has been made up of Working Holiday Makers, and they are most needed from September to January when grains are harvested," Ms Gawel said.
"These workers are integral to bolstering the grains workforce and combating regional worker shortages, so this decision and the lack of clarity about impacts of the changes could not have come at a worse time.
“The long-standing labour challenges in regional Australia are well-known and backpackers have provided a reliable source of hardworking seasonal labour on farms for years."
Ms Gawel said many growers would now be scrambling to find workers to fill positions in the short-term, while concerns also remained about the introduction of ballots and significantly reduced visa numbers going forward.
“We need an iron clad commitment that processing will resume as a priority,” Ms Gawel said.
“Any business owner small or large would know how critical it is to have staff available during their busiest periods.
"The grains sector contributes $29.3b to the Australian economy each year and we urge the Government to reconsider and fully understand the impact these reforms will have on an important source of workers for the industry."
ENDS