MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Smith
The Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme will see up to 2,500 workers from Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu participate in a three year pilot and work for up to seven months a year in the horticulture industry in regional Australia.
The pilot will include strict conditions to ensure there is no exploitation of Pacific workers and no undercutting of Australian working standards, including awards.
The demand for the program came from Australian farmers unable to find the labour to get their produce to market for Australia families. Countries from the Pacific have been very enthusiastic about wanting to fill that need and be part of the pilot.
The pilot demonstrates Australia's new partnership with our Pacific Island neighbours. Its Pacific focus reflects Australia's special historic links with the Pacific Island countries and the Government's commitment to assist them to address their unique, and in some cases significant, development needs.
In addition to the benefits for Australia farmers and consumers, Pacific islanders will benefit from the income, experience and training received through the pilot scheme. The remittances sent home will significantly help the development of their villages and communities.
The Government made an election commitment to consider New Zealand's Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Scheme and the lessons learnt from that scheme have been important in the development of this pilot scheme.
To maximise the chances of success, the pilot scheme includes one country each from Melanesia (Vanuatu), Polynesia (Tonga) and Micronesia (Kiribati) with a proven track record of sending labour, under appropriate conditions, through the RSE Scheme.
The pilot scheme also includes Papua New Guinea, and the Governments of Australia and PNG will work together to strengthen PNG's labour sending arrangements to enable the early inclusion of workers from PNG in the pilot.
Pacific Island countries have been very enthusiastic about inclusion in a pilot scheme of this sort and the Prime Minister has indicated this is something he wishes to discuss at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Meeting in Niue later this week.
The pilot will be reviewed after 18 months to ensure it is meeting the needs of Australian employers and Pacific Island workers and that the necessary safeguards are working effectively.
Mr Smith's Office: Courtney Hoogen 02 6277 7500 or 0488 244901
Departmental : (02) 6261 1555