Federal Farm Visa Vital In Light Of State Failures
The establishment of a specific agricultural visa with the UK is very good news for Victorian farmers.
The Federal Government’s signing of a Free Trade Agreement with the UK removed the 88-day farm work requirement to extend working holiday visas for British tourists.
Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, said the UK agricultural visa counterbalances the gap left by changes to the working holiday visa.
She said the new Ag visa with ten South East Asian countries further adds to the deal.
“It is hard to believe that we cannot get enough Australians to work on Australian farms,” Mrs McArthur said.
“The coronavirus border, and freedom of movement restrictions, have made a bad problem worse.
“Tonnes of farm produce has been lost, millions of dollars dug into the ground, largely because unemployed Australians don’t want to go where the work is.
“That’s why deals such as this bring relief, hope and certainty to farmers across Australia – and in my electorate of Western Victoria.
“Now they can pick their fruit, harvest their grain, and pursue their trade with the knowledge they can get the staff they need,” she said.
The deal comes as the Victorian Government has failed to deliver the 1500 seasonal workers it promised farmers in January.
“Less than 850 of these have arrived on farms.
“What a monumental failure – and what a huge disappointment to farmers who have planned according to these promises,” Mrs McArthur said.
She said the Federal Government’s UK and Asian deals are vital in light of the Victorian failure.
The Member for Wannon, and Federal Trade Minister, Dan Tehan brokered the Ag visa deal.
Mrs McArthur said the challenge now is to get these workers into Australia.
She raised the issue in the Victorian Parliament in February, citing Labor’s ongoing mistakes with hotel quarantine, and the need to resolve the dilemma with better quarantine:
“We need a long-term, high-capacity solution fit for purpose for the months international quarantine is likely to continue. Avalon Airport is a secure, segregated environment large enough to operate a safe and isolated quarantine facility.” – 16 February 2021.
She also praised Minister Tehan for his success with the UK deal, Britain’s first since exiting the EU.
“Minister Tehan has coupled the Asian work visa deal alongside the UK FTA.
“He has gone to the other side of the world on our behalf and put our case before the British Prime Minister.
“While the details are emerging, the signs are very good for our farmers’ and producers’ abilities to increase trade with our closest ally,” Mrs McArthur said.
16 June 2021