vegetablesWA CEO’s Report

BY JOHN SHANNON CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, VEGETABLESWA

This time last year I could never have predicted the turn of events we’ve witnessed in 2020.

The implications of COVID-19 on our industry has been immeasurable, but through it all you have kept supermarket shelves lined with the very best fresh produce Western Australians expect. As an industry we had to adapt fast and I couldn’t be prouder of the resilience you’ve shown. As the virus entered WA in February we were thrust into quarantine and immediately faced uncertainty around key inputs such as labour, chemicals and fertiliser. As we braced for the worst, demand for fresh WA vegetables actually increased as the public sought to improve their health by increasing their consumption of local produce. We are arguably the luckiest of all states, having avoided community spread of COVID-19 since April 11. And while national borders are opening, and we welcome the freedoms we have become accustomed to here in Australia, access to labour remains one of the biggest challenges our industry has faced. Backpacker numbers have reduced by almost 60 per cent since the start of the pandemic. The workforce simply does not exist in Australia, at this point in time. We don’t have enough workers for our We have a long way to go, but flights farms to operate at pre-COVID capacity carrying workers from Vanuatu are and it is taking its toll. confirmed to arrive in Perth in late Labour has been, and remains, the December and early January. top priority for me and the entire Our labour scheme facilitator, Melissa vegetablesWA team. Denning, has worked tirelessly to make At the start of November, all major this happen. Australian states had restarted the She has been relentless in bringing hort Seasonal Worker Programme and industry members, Federal and State Pacific Labour Scheme, government departments together and most had plane loads to keep the wheels turning in the of workers either on the labour space. ground or scheduled to arrive. We had been actively Merry Christmas and safe New Year. We will continue to keep you updated as more information comes to hand, lobbying to get these but I really encourage programmes reengaged, so you to contact Melissa if it was a great relief when the you would like to find out McGowan Government announced more information about we would be following suit here in WA. the Seasonal Worker Programme and I sent out a press release urgently Pacific Labour Scheme. calling on the WA Government to finalise I would like to take this opportunity to quarantine arrangements and initially thank all of the vegetablesWA team for there were discussions about workers their hard work over the past year. from Vanuatu completing quarantine at the Northern Territory, Howard Springs facility. To growers and stakeholders, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and safe New Year. In late November we celebrated the news that two plane loads of workers MORE INFORMATION had been secured and will fly directly into WA. John Shannon, phone 0488 111 526 or email john.shannon@vegetableswa.com.au

3 DEMAND for fresh WA vegetables increased as the public sought to improve their health.