Farmers move to stop dodgy labour hire providers

The agriculture industry has wanted a truly national labour hire licensing scheme for years, now dodgy operator practices may soon be removed from the industry.

A tripartite of farmers, unions and government have agreed on key principles that would underpin a national labour hire licensing scheme covering the agriculture and meat processing sectors.

The agreement between members of the federal agricultural workforce working group is ostensibly designed to stamp out dodgy labour hire operators who have previously not met minimum employment or business standards that have led to adverse outcomes for workers.

However, the National Farmers Federation hopes it will also help fill thousands of vacant positions across the agriculture job market.

NFF president Fiona Simson was buoyant that progress was being made towards a national labour hire licensing scheme that the organisation had coveted for several years.

“We’re committed to creating safe and rewarding jobs in agriculture. Dodgy operators who don’t support those values have no place in our industry,” she said.

National Farmers’ Federation president Fiona Simson. Picture: Supplied

According to a working group draft communique, the agreed principles include that a national labour hire licensing scheme should be inclusive of all industries, appropriately resourced, effectively enforced and simple for businesses operating across jurisdictions.

It also said the agreement fulfilled a recommendation of the Migrant Workers’ Taskforce.

The working group will present its recommendations to Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke.

Organisations represented on the working group include the NFF, Australian Dairy Farmers, Australian Meat Industry Council, Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union, the Australian Workers Union, the United Workers Union and the Department of Agriculture represented by Secretary Andrew Metcalfe.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt, who is also on the working group, said the unified approach to a national standard on labour hire was a “significant step forward”.

“This is the first time that agricultural and processing employer groups and unions have reached agreement on the principles that should underpin labour hire in the sector,” he said.

“Poor practices by labour hire providers not only impact workers but can impact the reputation of and ability to attract workers for industries which engage labour hire services.”

State-based labour hire schemes have already been created in Victoria and Queensland.

The working group also discussed opportunities to promote wider participation in the agriculture and meat processing sectors among women, First Nation Australians, people with disability, veterans and older Australians.

Members also agreed to a co-ordinated plan to advocate for ­enhanced training options and opportunities for current and prospective workers in agriculture consistent with its previous endorsement of flexible industry-led training models, such as AgSkilled 2.0 and an agricultural trade ­apprenticeship.

Issues canvassed included maximising the opportunities offered by innovation, digital technologies and sustainable farming.

A national labour hire licensing scheme was an on-again, off-again project throughout the final term of the previous Coalition government, while Labor said prior to the 2022 federal election that it would also introduce a national scheme should it win office.

Nationals leader David Littleproud said while he was “very supportive” of the proposal, he questioned what strategies the government, NFF and unions had in place to attract new workers into the agriculture system.