PM says ag visa not off the table as solution to labour shortages

SCOTT Morrison insists an agriculture-specific visa is not dead — but its development cannot be rushed or it would just result in “more Uber drivers in Melbourne”.

Taking time: PM Scott Morrison announcing an agricultural-specific work visa is not dead at the National Farmers Federation congress Picture: Kym Smith

SCOTT Morrison insists an agriculture-specific visa is not dead — but its development cannot be rushed or it would just result in “more Uber drivers in Melbourne”.

Less than a week after the long-sought visa appeared to be completely off the table, the Prime Minister yesterday said the Federal Government was committed to delivering the ag visa as a medium to long-term solution to the sector’s labour workforce shortage.

His vow has been welcomed by industry, which was left angry and frustrated last weekend when Mr Morrison unexpectedly announced a plan to help fill the shortage with unemployed Australians.

Speaking to the National Farmers’ Federation Congress yesterday, Mr Morrison backpedalled, insisting there had “never been any question” about the Government’s support for an ag visa.

“But we have to go about it in the right way, and it’s not a silver bullet and it doesn’t solve all the problems in relation to the forthcoming harvest,” Mr Morrison said.

“You can’t just introduce and agricultural visa overnight and then all of a sudden everyone turns up and they’re on the farm picking fruit. That’s not how it works.”

The Nationals have long been pushing for the visa, but until now had been met with resistance from senior Liberals, not least because a new visa could affect the existing Pacific Island seasonal worker programs and spark diplomatic tensions.

Nationals leader Michael McCormack appeared to have been completely rolled on the issue. But yesterday — in the wake of a potential leadership challenge to the Deputy Prime Minister from former leader Barnaby Joyce — Mr Morrison insisted he and Mr McCormack had been working on a three-point plan “since day one”.

To address the shortage for the coming harvest, the Government wants farmers to register their jobs with the National Harvest Labour Information Service. That data will be used to identify where workers are needed most.

The Government will also make changes to the Working Holidaymaker Visa and Pacific Island schemes to get more workers into those areas experiencing the biggest shortages.

“I’m going to make sure they’re targeted to the areas where the labour shortages are because if they’re not, you know what we end up doing? We relax the visas and we get more Uber drivers in Melbourne ,” Mr Morrison said.

NFF president Fiona Simson — who last week denounced the Government’s initial announcement as “shallow” — said Mr Morrison’s comments gave the ag sector confidence a visa would become a reality.

“While answers are needed in the short term as peak harvest season is nearing for much of the country, the reality is that this is a perennial problem,” she said.

“It won’t disappear anytime soon.”

AUSVEG chief executive James Whiteside said while the re-commitment was welcome, more action was needed to bring more foreign workers onto Aussie farms now.

“There are growers who need workers now who will be forced to leave fruit and vegetables to rot if they cannot access a suitable and reliable workforce this season,” he said.