Farmers fear fruitpicker shortage from budget changes

FARMERS want backpackers to do their fruitpicking but fear changes to the working holiday visa are about making them hire “dole bludgers” instead.

FARMERS have warned the government not to send them “dole bludgers” in the place of backpackers to do seasonal work, as a result of changes to working holiday visas.

The budget changes mean backpackers who undertake jobs like fruitpicking will be taxed at 32.5 cents from the first dollar they earn, to generate more than $500 million in revenue.

The cost of applying for a working holiday visa will also rise from $420 to $440.

Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey said the moves were aimed at “levelling the playing field” and ensuring everyone is paid their fair share.

But tourism industry leaders have slammed the tax rate hikes as “bad for tourism” and farmers are concerned they will be made to employ the “unemployable”.

Fruit Growers Victoria chairman Gary Godwill said backpackers were people who wanted to work in order to make money to see more of Australia.

“The thing with backpackers here is, they’ve had the initiative to go to another country. They’re not dropouts,” said Mr Godwill.

“The government seems to want us to employ people who are on the dole. We can’t use them. “They’re people who don’t want to work.”

Pinata Farms Managing Director Gavin Scurr said he would be concerned about getting enough fruitpickers at harvesting times, with about 400 required across his six properties.

“It’s difficult enough to get sufficient workers during the peak times, particularly in the more remote areas like Katherine (in the Northern Territory) and during strawberry season on the Sunshine Coast,” said Mr Scurr, who manages strawberry, pineapple and mango farms in Queensland and the NT.

“All the seasonal work is (done by) backpackers. Australians don’t want to do this sort of work because it’s only a few weeks or months.”

Dimitri Roumpos from fruitpickingjobs.com.au said the changes would make it harder for the industry to source working holiday makers to fulfil harvest labour requirements.

“There will be less working holiday makers, and they will stay in the country a shorter period of time or simply come as backpackers,” said Mr Roumpos.

“Backpackers stay an average of 73 nights and spend over $5400 while working holiday makers have an extended stay averaging eight months and spend over $13,000 each.”

Youth Hostels Association CEO Julian Ledger said there was no benefit to the Australian economy of taxing backpackers too highly.

“It just means less money in their pockets to spend going to Uluru, going to the Great Barrier Reef,” said Mr Ledger.

“It’s casual work. It’s not work that advances your career. The wages are low to begin with.”

Originally published as Farmers fear fruitpicker shortage from budget changes