Fears agriculture visa will lead to worker exploitation

A labour hire firm accused of housing Pacific Islander workers in squatter-like conditions is planning to hire employees under the long-awaited agriculture visa.

A seasonal worker from Vanuatu picks grapes on a Queensland farm.

A labour hire firm accused of housing Pacific Islander workers in squatter-like conditions is planning to hire employees under the long-awaited agriculture visa, raising concerns about worker conditions in the new scheme.

It comes as the federal government’s Seasonal Worker Program faces a proposed class action by workers against labour hire companies accused of exploitation and massive wage theft that could disrupt a record $73bn harvest.

The company, Owen Pacific Workforce, is involved in the ­Pacific Labour Scheme and the Seasonal Worker Program. Owen Pacific’s website states the firm is also planning to “include these new (agriculture) visa holders as part of our workforce” and requests contact from employers interested in engaging workers.

In February 2020, the Latrobe Council in Tasmania issued an emergency evacuation order for more than 70 workers employed by Owen Pacific under the SWP who were living in a five-bedroom house.

Owen Pacific was engaged by horticultural company Costa to manage the accommodation. The workers – who were rotating the use of beds between shifts due to a lack of space – were moved into temporary accommodation following the evacuation.

A spokeswoman for Owen Pacific said the company was not participating in the first phase of the agriculture visa but did not ­respond to further questions.

The Australian has confirmed the first phase of the agriculture visa will involve 11 government-approved employers – already accredited through the Pacific labour schemes – to test the system before it is scaled up in stage two from April.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said there would be a “rigorous monitoring and compliance framework” to ensure em­ploy­ers com­plied with workplace laws.

“En­tities approved under the Pacific Australian Labour Mobility Scheme must satisfy a series of checks to ensure they are reputable, financially sound and able to fulfil the scheme’s requirements,” the spokesperson said.

The agriculture visa scheme – unveiled by the federal government in August – will allow farmers to source foreign workers to help fill critical labour gaps exacerbated by the pandemic. The government is currently in negotiations with four Southeast Asian nations over bilateral agreements for the scheme, but no deals have been struck yet.

The continuing negotiations form the backdrop to Scott Morrison’s announcement this week that Australia will begin welcoming fully vaccinated skilled migrants – including those travelling to Australia on an agriculture visa – and international students.

The announcement was a major win for businesses that have been deprived of staff, as well as the education sector.

However, Labor says the new agriculture visa stream will undermine Australia’s critical relationship with Pacific countries by prioritising workers from Southeast Asian nations.