Committee recommends regional gap years, HECS discounts for backpacker work

University students would be offered a HECS discount for picking fruit under a new plan backed by Coalition, Labor and Greens MPs.

Federal parliament’s joint standing committee on migration has made 10 recommendations to government to fix the labour shortages across the agriculture sector. Picture: Supplied

University students would be offered a HECS discount for picking fruit under a new plan backed by Coalition, Labor and Greens MPs, as they urge Scott Morrison to urgently introduce a “have a gap year at home” campaign to encourage young Australians into the regions.

Federal parliament’s joint standing committee on migration’s interim report, tabled on Tuesday, also recommended people on JobSeeker be allowed to take on low paid agricultural work and conditions on backpackers’ visas be overhauled so they can stay in the country longer.

International students should also be offered an additional year or two in Australia after their studies if they undertake work in critical industries outside the capital cities.

Farmers estimate they need “thousands” of extra workers to pick Australia’s fruit and vegetables and carry out other agricultural jobs as the state and international border closures exacerbate labour shortages.

The shortage is set to increase the cost of food at supermarkets.

The parliamentary committee suggests Year 12s and university graduates should be targeted by a taxpayer-funded advertising campaign to take time off to travel and work in the regions and the Morrison government should “give consideration to a HECS/HELP discount for undertaking this work”.

Overseas citizens who were approved for a working holiday maker visa but had to leave the country or have been unable to enter Australia because of COVID-19 should be able to reapply, with a dedicated hotline set up so they can seek advice regarding their work rights or possible exploitation.

Australia’s harvest trail should be promoted more effectively at home and abroad, while the Morrison government should work with the states and industry stakeholders to recruit extra people under the seasonal worker and Pacific labour programs.

Liberal MP Julian Leeser, who chairs the committee, said he and his colleagues across the political divide wanted the 80 submissions from working holiday makers, businesses, organisations, industry bodies, academics and government agencies to help inform the government’s response “to this crisis”.