Agriculture Visa
AUSVEG continues to advocate to the Federal Government around the design of the Agriculture Visa. So far the feedback from government has been positive; however, we are still yet to see any significant detail of how the visa may look.

AUSVEG’s position, along with the NFF Horticulture Council, has been that the visa needs to be focused around reducing the reliance on Working Holiday Makers.

Therefore, the industry is advocating for it to be a short-term visa, with multi-entry capabilities, and focused at low-skilled work. While details on the visa are still to be determined, we know the visa will be targeted towards the 10 ASEAN countries.

A dedicated visa for agriculture is designed to do three important things:

1. Remove the reliance on the Working Holiday Makers – Backpackers will continue to have a role in horticulture; however, industry requires access to a productive, committed workforce.
2. Reduce exploitation – There will need to be a standard that is met by growers to be able to access the visa to ensure workers are safe from mistreatment; however, this will need to be reasonable and not overly onerous on growers.
3. Give growers access to a dedicated workforce – Industry needs access to a productive and efficient workforce

A key part of this activity includes the Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement, which allows growers to access to a semi-skilled and skilled workforce. AUSVEG is currently going through its 12-month review of the agreement with the Federal Government where we are continuing to push for additional skill-level 5 occupations – Horticulture Field Worker and Horticulture Process Worker.

These are critical additions that would allow businesses, particularly vegetable businesses, to employ workers on a full-time basis and build them into their business for the longer-term, where there is already a permanent residency pathway.

Those discussions are continuing and are part of AUSVEG’s 4-point plan for Horticulture workforce.

AUSVEG has been advocating for some time its 4-point plan for Horticulture Workforce. The four points are:

1. Agriculture Harvest Visa
2. Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement expansion
3. National Labour Hire Licencing Scheme
4. Improved Enforcement and Compliance

A briefing paper can be viewed here.

Supporting Ballarat potato growers
AUSVEG supported its Victorian state member, AUSVEG VIC, in its discussions this week with a number of potato growers in the Ballarat region.

The growers in that region are currently challenging a proposal to develop a Western Victoria Network Transmission Line of approximately 190km, which would go through class-A quality potato growing land.

The proposal would directly impact the lives of 45 grower farm businesses and impact up to 1,000 hectares of prime farmland.

AUSVEG will continue to work with the growers in that area, AUSVEG VIC and the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) in raising the concerns to relevant government representatives and politicians.

Read more about the issue here.

Piece Rates hearings
Fair Work Commission hearings are continuing and will continue into Tuesday.

AUSVEG will provide a further update on the progress of the hearings once they are completed.

To read more on the hearings, see the FWC website here.

Plant-Based Labelling
The Federal Government, via the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, is currently undertaking an inquiry into the Definitions of meat and other animal products.

This inquiry is following on from the working group that looked at plant-based labelling.

You can read more on the inquiry here.

Growers are urged to contact AUSVEG National Public Affairs Manager, Tyson Cattle at Tyson.cattle@ausveg.com.au if you have any comments.

For more information, contact AUSVEG National Manager – Public Affairs Tyson Cattle at tyson.cattle@ausveg.com.au, or 03 9882 0277.