EFFORTS of a local MP have helped lead to changes in visa regulations for backpackers and Pacific Islanders aimed at avoiding a “20 per cent” workforce shortage for Riverland growers.
The Federal Government last night announced a scheme allowing travelling seasonal workers to extend their Australian visas would be funded in the new Federal Budget.
Member for Chaffey Tim Whetstone – who in September wrote a letter to Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud regarding his concerns for Riverland businesses – said large and small-scale growers in the region were facing workforce shortages of up to 20 per cent in 2021.
“Obviously the forecast for seasonal job needs is starting to heat up, and it has been for a while,” Mr Whetstone said.
“COVID has put a huge level of uncertainty into this region, so I’ve been working closely with all the major employers, and the smaller guys, to look at ways we can develop a strategy to make sure they’ve got a workforce for next year.
“This year we were a bit lucky. We had Pacific Islanders who came out of Tasmania who were picking berries, and mostly Pacific Islanders picking table grapes out of Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria.
“But my fear is a lot of those people will return home,”
Mr Whetstone said different growing and harvesting periods for Riverland crops – generally lasting throughout the year – meant it was vital backpacker workers would be able to stay longer in the region.
“The citrus season is still going ahead and we’re short on workers,” he said.
“(Soon) we’re going to have stone fruit (season) and then we’ll have vintage, plus the things we don’t see a lot of (like) grain harvest, which they need people for.
“It’s not just the pickers, it’s also the people working in packhouses.
“Vegetable growers have got somewhere in the vicinity of a 10 to 20 per cent shortfall in the workforce, so they’re ploughing crops into the ground and the Riverland cannot afford to do that.”
Mr Whetstone said the impacts of potential workforce shortages would increase financial pressure on Riverland growers.
“The Riverland has come away from a period of not only high water prices, but also drought through the drylands and livestock sector,” he said.
“We have to have a workforce here to make sure we capitalise on the great work we’ve done through these uncertain times.
“It’s more important than ever that we have a workforce, and if it needs to be flown in, then it needs to be.
“The Pacific Islanders have a very good record of low, to no numbers, of COVID-19 and it gives the region a greater understanding of what the need will be should we have to bring a workforce in.”
Sunlands-based citrus grower and Citrus SA chair Mark Doecke said the Federal Government’s decision had provided business security for Riverland horticultural producers.
“Any opportunity we have to get overseas workers into this region is vital for the citrus industry,” Mr Doecke said.
“We need to work with Government to ensure we have available workers for not only the rest of this season but the 2021 season.
“It’s about thinking ahead. Visas take time to get organised, so I’m happy the State Government and the Federal Government is on the front foot with this issue.
“Because of the virus it’s become extremely important to have your labour force sorted out early.”
However, Mr Whetstone said an incentive scheme for JobSeeker and Youth Allowance recipients – meaning up to $300 could be earned from farming work before welfare payments are affected – failed to recognise the challenges of Riverland harvest work.
“That’s fine with the understanding fruit picking is a tough job,” Mr Whetstone said.
“You can’t come out of one job and expect to be a good fruit picker the next day. It’s a difficult occupation.”
Mr Whetstone said negative effects on crops due to delays in harvesting would mean lost revenue for Riverland growers.
“If we can’t get fruit off the trees in time, that means we lose quality and price, then it’s a flow on effect,” he said.
“You’re either losing the quality of the fruit you’ve spent 12 months to grow, or fruit is dropping on the ground.
“It will escalate and go straight past us… COVID is the underlying factor and the really scary bit is we don’t know when that will be over.”