book.tascountry - Flipbook - Page 4
News
Positive
on picker
shortage
JOSH HARRIS
WHILE a lack of workers
is threatening to overwhelm
Tasmania’s fruit growers, the
head of the peak industry body
remains optimistic.
With international travellers
unable to come to Australia,
many crops have been left
unfinished or abandoned across
the country.
Peter Cornish, chief executive
officer of Fruit Growers Tasmania, is honest about the
struggles growers have met this
season but remains optimistic
that the programs laid in place
can be beneficial to the state.
The State Government’s
latest pilot program, the Seasonal Workers Pilot Transport Program, helps city-based
workers travel to orchard sites.
The pilot is starting in the
state’s South.
Mr Cornish said attracting
workers to orchards was not an
easy task.
“This is a complex area, and
we’ve had a number of attempts
at building the program,
each with good feedback
and development from the
Government,” he said.
“This program needs to be
targeted, particularly at the
people with no travel options,
or who find travel to work sites
expensive. We are trying to
give access to those otherwise
unable to participate.”
“We still have time to get
these pilot programs to work
together.This is a first step, it is
the latest of a list of initiatives,”
Mr Cornish said.
Nationally, the numbers of
overseas workers have been
dwindling. From June 2019
to December 2020, just under
95,000 people entered Australia
on a working-holiday visa, with
the number already down from
142,000 the previous year.
Earlier this month the Federal Government quoted the
number at 47,000. It is estimated
that nationwide 1000 workers
are leaving Australia per week.
A federal program has
brought in workers from Pacific
nations.
Last week Tasmania reached
a deal with Victoria that will
see 1500 Pacific workers sent to
quarantine in Tasmania before
travelling to Victoria to work.
In return, a flight carrying
returning Australians will go to
Melbourne instead of Tasmania
and passengers will quarantine
in Victoria.
Mr Cornish said despite the
1500 workers heading interstate,
the arrangement could benefit
Tasmanian farmers.
As the state passes the peak
of the fruit season, many of the
pressures on the industry are
tipped to slowly alleviate.
Mr Cornish said the local
season was far from finished
and there was work available.
“There are still opportunities
to work, even up until June.
We’d like to encourage people
to visit the Harvest Trail website
and see there still is plenty of
work to be found.”
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