News A problem shared

A problem shared

WORKING TOGETHER TO GET WORKERS

Sunraysia’s horticulture industries are rallying for their region and banding together to draw in much-needed seasonal workers for their growers.

The Australian Table Grape Association (ATGA), along with Dried Fruits Australia (DFA) and Citrus Australia, has been involved in a collaborative approach to filling the sector’s workforce shortfalls, beginning with a horticulture thinktank last year. The industry bodies have since met regularly with labour hire providers and the Victorian Labour Hire Authority, Victorian Government representatives and regional organisations to assess the needs of seasonal workers and understand how to promote employment opportunities that exist across all of the industries.

The seasonal worker network which has developed as a result has had a ripple effect for industry and local organisations who are keen to assist industries with the uptake of workers. Sessions have also included jobseeker outreach.

A Sunraysia horticulture industries’ brochure has been developed to showcase the region and industries to seasonal workers in Australia and internationally. Independently, both ATGA and DFA have been working on their own seasonal worker initiatives.

Partnering with CALD community

DFA will this year partner with Sunraysia Mallee Ethnic Communities Council (SMECC) in an effort to help fill the industry’s demand for seasonal workers.

The Victorian Government-funded Seasonal Workforce Industry Support Program (SWISP), in collaboration with SMECC and the cultural and linguistically diverse community (CALD), aims to train a cohort of 20 to 30 people in various vine pruning techniques specific to the dried grape industry. DFA CEO Anne Mansell said a short film had already been developed to showcase dried grape pruning methods. “This will give participants an understanding of what’s required onfarm,” she said.

Further translated material will also be provided to anyone registering to take part in the training. Training in pruning will be provided by experienced dried grape producers. “With the current lack of available casual labour impacting growers at pruning time, DFA, with support from the Victorian Government, is trying to find a workable solution and this program is one way of doing this,” Anne said.

Spotlight on industry

The ATGA has continued to put the spotlight on seasonal work in the table grape industry to entice workers to “give table grapes a go”. Previous editions of the Vine have highlighted the Victorian Governmentfunded SWISP project, which allowed ATGA to create three films to promote seasonal work in the table grape industry. These films have now been produced, including a vital snapshot of industry, featuring on-farm work, accommodation options, lifestyle

options in growing regions, community and wellbeing support and much more. Two 360° films, released in 2021, gave an insight into the work involved in both the vineyard and the packing shed, with a fly-on-the-wall perspective. The films are also set to be translated into other languages to ensure optimum accessibility for CALD communities.

The SWISP project also included the development several comprehensive resources for industry, such as seasonal worker testimonials, consultation with wider horticulture industries, and much more. While industry bodies are to ensure growers are well-prepared to tackle this and future seasons, it’s important to note that growers have a role to play in ensuring their workers are safe, and the contractors they use are licensed. The Victorian Labour Hire Licencing Authority stipulates that growers – many of who are “hosts” – must use a licensed labour hire provider. Hosts must only use licensed labour hire providers or face maximum penalties of: $145,392 for an individual and $581,568 for a corporation. In seeking seasonal workers, industry bodies recommend growers plan in advance for the workers they need, and also put their best foot forward when posting job advertisements or on any social media pages. v