Morrison plan to put Aussies on the land

Scott Morrison has launched a fresh initiative to move local workers into farm jobs and avoid introducing a new visa class.

Scott Morrison in Sydney yesterday. Picture: AAP

Scott Morrison has attempted to water down a push by the Nationals and farmers groups for new agricultural visas, launching an initiative today to move local workers into farm jobs and avoid introducing a new visa class.

The Prime Minister, who is not ruling out changes to the existing seasonal worker program, said the Coalition would focus on getting more Australians into farm jobs by collecting information on vacancies and more strictly enforcing penalties on Jobactive participants refusing to work.

“Our government has heard from farmers across the country about how tough it is right now to find workers, particularly at the height of harvest season for some crops,” Mr Morrison told The Weekend Australian.

“This is about doing everything we can to ensure Australian jobs are being filled by Australians.

“Where we cannot find Australians to do the work, we cannot allow the fruit to rot. We will back our farmers and make arrangements through our Pacific Island worker and migration program to get the job done.”

The Australian last month reported that splits between senior Liberals and Nationals had emerged following a robust cabinet exchange between Agriculture Minister David Littleproud and Mr Morrison, a former immigration minister who is not in favour of new visa classes.

The Australian revealed that the Prime Minister rebuked Mr Littleproud in a cabinet debate where the Nationals accused the Liberals of failing to understand the needs of rural communities.

Amid a serious labour shortage for seasonal and short-term work such as fruit picking and packing, agriculture groups led by the Nat­ional Farmers Federation have been calling for a special agricultural visa to lift the flow of foreign workers, including from Asia.

Australian diplomats and experts say such a move would lower the opportunities for Pacific Islander workers coming into Australia under the Seasonal Worker Program and the Pacific Labour Scheme.

Senior government ministers, pushing back against the Nationals, have said this could have major ramifications for Australia’s relations with Pacific Island countries amid the rise of China in the ­region.

This is especially the case, experts say, as Australia convinced Pacific nations to sign up to the Pacer Plus regional trade agreement by offering greater labour mobility as an incentive.

Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Michael McCormack did not criticise the new ­arrangements yesterday.

“We are working to ensure there is a strategic and targeted ­labour force to help farmers and country communities pick the fruit and finish harvest when and where they need it,” he said.

“There are jobs and opportunities in the regions, especially in Australian agriculture, and we are working with farmers, local communities and jobseekers to fill those jobs, help country communities grow and prosper and keep good Aussie produce on Australians’ kitchen tables.”

Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O’Dwyer said the first measure was to increase information-sharing to match jobseekers up with farm work.

Currently, jobseekers registered with Jobactive can have their income support cut for four weeks if they do not have a reasonable excuse for not accepting a suitable job offer.