NEWS
Labour of love The word labour has never been far from the mind of table grape growers. In fact, sourcing workers has been a point of contention for Australia’s horticulture industries for decades. But since the Federal Government declared Australia’s borders closed to stop the spread of Covid-19, Australian growers have reportedly been forced to leave fruit on vines;
other industries across Australia (see p. 32).
the reason we applied to be approved
growers have reported being anxious
employers through SWP was to shore
about what the continued pressure
up the core of our labour requirements
on labour will mean for the upcoming
each season,” Robyn said. “Being part
season, with the crisis expected to
of SWP was never about supplying 100
worsen, and some are taking as many
per cent of our labour force, but about
precautions as possible to ensure they’ll minimise the impact on their businesses. While most growers source their
undertaken back-breaking work just
workers through approved labour hire
to harvest their crops; and there has
providers, following two challenging
been a lot of talk of growers paying
seasons, some have felt the need to
exorbitantly high rates just to keep
strategically increase their chances
workers on farm.
of securing workers by applying to
million around Australia, according to the National Farmers’ Federation’s National Lost Crop Register. Even so, this year is on track to be a recordbreaking year for agriculture, with ABARES expecting total farm output to exceed $66 billion. State and federal governments have been working with industries to roll out initiatives designed to counter the workforce shortage, including announcing an agriculture-specific visa – yet to be finalised – changing existing visa conditions, introducing programs to recruit youth, students, the culturally and linguistically diverse communities, unemployed and existing farm workers into industry. As an industry organisation, the
“The key benefit for our business and
However, despite these efforts,
family-owned establishments have
Back in March, crop losses hit $50
“Shore up the core”
providing us with a core group of staff who would stay for the whole season, that we could train up and would return to us year after year. “The Covid-19 pandemic has definitely highlighted to us the benefit of the program in having access to labour when there are such severe labour shortages in so many industries.”
become approved employers for the
The process of becoming an approved
Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP)
employer is not for everyone; some
and Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS).
growers currently undertaking
So, what’s an approved employer? Approved employers are either direct employers, who predominantly recruit for their own business, or labour hire companies and others who can on-hire to growers. They can participate in the SWP and the PLS because they have applied to do so through the Australian Government.
the process have lamented the lengthiness, confusing nature and demands of the application conditions. While Robyn agreed the undertaking was “overwhelming” at the beginning, and the paperwork element of the process was “frustrating”, she said it was critical that businesses applying were “reading the requirements, checking off the checklists provided,
Approved employers enter into
making sure you have provided
an agreement with the Australian
everything required and responding
Government through the Department
to requests for more information in a
of Education, Skills and Employment
timely manner”.
(DESE). Additionally, they have to enter
“Being an approved employer has
into a sponsorship arrangement with the Department of Home Affairs to
provided our business with consistency in our labour force,” she said. “Not
bring in overseas workers.
only do we have a core base of staff
has been involved in significant
Carnarvon grower Bumbak & Sons
but these recruits have already been
consultation with state and federal
began this process three years ago.
governments, provided industry
Their human resources and quality
guidance on workforce workshops,
assurance manager Robyn Bumbak
Robyn said the annual recruitment
and developed video tools (funded by
said as the bitter effects of the
conditions could also be “a challenge”,
Agriculture Victoria) to help recruit
international border closures soured
with approved employers required
and retain new seasonal workers or
the season, they saw the benefit of
to provide suitable accommodation
existing workers currently working in
already being approved employers.
and meet other necessary worker
Australian Table Grape Association
8 VINE MAGAZINE
trained by us, know our procedures, standards and work conditions.”
