Advocates call for Palm Scheme reform after Linx closure

Advocates for Australia’s seasonal workers have called for a Royal Commission into the Palm scheme following the deregistration of Tasmanian labour hire company Linx Employment amid claims of ‘modern slavery.’ Vote in our poll:

Advocates for seasonal workers hope deregistration of Linx Employment sparks broader reform to the Palm scheme.

The recent deregistration of Tasmanian based labour hire company Linx Employment has shone a white hot spotlight on the “well documented” abuse some imported farm workers face.

The deregistration on July 21, follows an investigation into 190 complaints by seasonal workers - 80 of them from Bundaberg - which amounted to ‘modern slavery’ claims by union representatives.

Seasonal worker advocates are now calling for far-reaching reforms to the federal government’s Palm Scheme.

Linx employed hundreds of Pacific Islander workers through its program, promising consistent employment and shelter on arrival to Australia.

The claims lodged with unions included going for months without work, substandard accommodation, excessive deductions taken from workers’ pay, and bullying that included threats to cancel workers’ visas.

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The Australian Workers Union expressed concerns that other labour hire companies were exploiting and mistreating Palm workers, citing a ten-fold increase in workers on Palm visas seeking protection visas.

Australian Workers Union National Secretary Paul Farrow is concerned the mistreatment of workers by Linx Employment is the "tip of the iceberg" of abuse under the Palm scheme.

“We are concerned this is tip of the iceberg. In the year 2019-20 there were 171 people seeking protection visas after coming to Australia on Palm … visas, in 2022-23 there were 1698,” AWU National Secretary Paul Farrow said.

Pacific Islander seasonal workers Bundaberg advocate Geoffrey Smith has been supporting workers since the establishment of the Seasonal Worker Program in 2012.

Mr Smith hopes the systematic mistreatment of seasonal workers surfaced by the deregistration of Linx Employment will lead to a Royal Commission and broader reforms to protect workers’ rights under the Palm scheme.

“I’ve seen some fantastic things that farmers have done and contractors have done, but I’ve also seen some horrible things,” Mr Smith said.

“So where do we go with all this? Let’s learn something from this Linx deregistration. A Royal Commission should be held into this program.”

Long-term advocate for Pacific Islander seasonal workers Geoffrey Smith (right) hopes Linx Employment deregistration will lead to a Royal Commission and broader reforms to protect workers’ rights under the PALM scheme.

Mr Smith said he had spoken to Linx workers who had excessive deductions taken out of their pay for accommodation and airfares, and for whom superannuation payments were not paid into registered super funds.

“What are they going to do now? How far are they going to be investigated?

“These people need to be repaid the money that are owing to them.”

In response to questions about if Linx workers will be repaid for the deductions, a DEWR spokesman said their current focus was welfare management.

“The immediate priority continues to be the welfare and wellbeing of Palm workers and host employers maintaining access to their reliable and productive Palm scheme workers,” the spokesman said.

Seasonal worker advocates are calling for far-reaching reforms to the federal government’s Palm scheme in the wake of the July 21 deregistration, which left hundreds of workers displaced and disconnected.

Broader reforms to the scheme will be achieved through the new Palm Deed and Guidelines announced in June, which require approved employers to offer 30 hours per week to Palm scheme workers.

“The government does not tolerate migrant worker exploitation,” the spokesman said.

“Government reforms to the Palm scheme will result in improvements to worker welfare and wellbeing and seek to eliminate worker exploitation.”