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Queensland leading pack on reducing industry labour shortage
The Australian Fresh Produce Alliance (AFPA) welcomes the announcement from Queensland Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries, The Honourable Mark Furner confirming the extension of the seasonal worker trial program until March 2021.
The extension of the trial in Queensland will enable growers to access workers from the Pacific via the Seasonal Worker Program and Pacific Labour Scheme (SWP/PLS) to assist in filling critical labour shortages.
“The extension of this trial is welcome news for horticulture growers in Queensland. The Queensland state government has been leading the charge on the restart of the Seasonal Worker Program announced by the Prime Minister back in August” said Michael Rogers, CEO AFPA.
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More than 200 Timor Leste and Vanuatu nationals applied for asylum in Australia this year with one labour expert warning that unscrupulous contractors are using the promise of a protection visa to lure vulnerable seasonal workers.
According to data from Australia s Department of Home Affairs 46 Vanuatu nationals and 188 from Timor Leste applied for protection visas between April and October while there were no applications in the five months prior.
Timor Leste s embassy in Australia said due to the pressures of COVID-19 on seasonal workers, a number of Timorese seasonal workers have chosen to leave their original contracts and apply for Temporary Protection Visas.