Another group of overseas workers expected to arrive in country next month and complete quarantine at Grantham

More international workers will fly into Brisbane and be driven to the Lockyer Valley to quarantine before working in the region. Here’s when and where they will arrive.

Member for Lockyer Jim McDonald. Picture: Dominic Elsome

The next group of seasonal workers to quarantine at the Grantham Farmworkers Lodge are expected to arrive on June 22, Lockyer MP Jim McDonald has confirmed.

Despite the initial 160 Pacific Island workers passing quarantine, farmers across the Lockyer Valley and Queensland are desperate for workers to pick winter crops.

According to Mr McDonald, it takes about five weeks from approval to an aeroplane landing on Australian soil to get overseas workers into the country.

Mr McDonald said he wanted eight or nine groups of the Pacific Labour Scheme/Seasonal Workers Program to help the struggling agricultural industry, but the ultimate decision lay with the agricultural department and health organisation.

With the second group of 160 workers scheduled to complete their 14-day mandatory quarantine in Grantham, Mr McDonald has informed community about the project with a letter box drop with information.

The letter was sent to Grantham residents.

Lockyer MP Jim McDonald's letter to Grantham residents about the coronavirus quarantine hub for backpackers.

“We’ve had a lot of people come to us and understandably people have concerns,” Mr McDonald said.

“There were some ridiculous understandings in the community ranging from the workers being criminal from detention centres.

“But they’re all from low-risk transmission areas and they are here to help us pick the veggies.”

Mr McDonald’s letter, which is dated May 20, outlined the security conditions at the lodge, noting 24-hour private security detail, three police checks daily, 1.8m fencing around the facility and supervisors were in place.

The letter says the farmworkers are desperately needed to fill 1300 positions in the Lockyer Valley, and if any locals wanted a job to contact the Lockyer office.

It’s an improvement of community consultation after Lockyer residents expressed their outrage when the first arrival of 160 seasonal workers in early May took the community by surprise, despite a request from the council to notify locals.

He said another fear raised by the community was workers would try escape their visas and stay in the country.

From Mr McDonald’s enquiries, he found Solomon Island residents equivalent rate of pay on home soil was $1.50/hour.

In Australia vegetable picking, workers are paid $24.80/hour.

“They’re on an award wage just under $30 an hour – that’s a fortunate for them.

“They are earning an income they can share with their families back home that’s a proper wage.”