The horticulture industry is warning that changes to the Pacific Islander Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme in Australia could mean fewer fresh fruits and vegetables will be stocked on supermarket shelves.
Key points:
- Growers say changes to the PALM scheme lack the flexibility required for farm operations
- Industry representatives say there was a lack of meaningful consultation
- The workers’ union backs the changes by the government, which is confident it will benefit growers
Most produce sold in retail stores is picked and packed by farm workers, including many Pacific Islanders employed through the federal government scheme.
Upcoming changes to the PALM Deed and Guidelines have the industry concerned about the future of horticulture and the broader issue of compliance by labour hire companies.
PALM workers must currently receive a minimum of 30 hours per week, averaged over their placement.
But changes to the PALM Deed and Guidelines mean workers must receive 30 hours of work per week averaged over four weeks and from July 1, 2024, 30 hours every week.
Growers say they will be unable to guarantee PALM workers the minimum 30 hours per week due to the unpredictable nature of farming, such as when weather events affect operations.
Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers chief executive Bree Watson said the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) should instead focus on enforcing the existing PALM scheme laws and reconsider the changes.
“We need a system that’s got flexibility built into the plan,” she said.
“We need a system that recognises the seasonality of the industry in which we’re working … because this program is so vital to our industry.”
Changes follow consultation
The Australian Workers Union (AWU) championed the changes and said there had been extensive consultation with thousands of PALM workers.
A DEWR spokesperson said the department led consultations with stakeholders over the past 18 months, and from February to May this year received 116 pieces of feedback from a range of stakeholders.
The spokesperson said DEWR was closely monitoring the impact of the changes, would continue to engage with stakeholders, and was committed to reviewing the laws to ensure they were delivered as intended.
But Fair Farms grower engagement officer Donna Hogg said there had been a lack of meaningful consultation across the horticulture industry.
“We’ve already had growers, some large growers, calling us and saying they’re pulling out because it’s an unworkable program,” she said.
“We’d hate to see those workers lose out because of essentially what we think is bad policy.”
Approved Employers Australia (AEA) chief executive Steve Burdette supported guaranteeing 30 hours per week for PALM workers, but said there needed to be flexibility within the horticulture sector.
He said the scheme should focus on addressing current issues and postpone the changes.
Mr Burdette said worker wellbeing, disengagement, illegal operators, and social issues within the scheme needed to be addressed and a review conducted into the PALM Deed and Guidelines.
DEWR investigates company
An investigation by DEWR involving a labour hire company involved in the scheme has highlighted a broader issue of compliance by industry stakeholders.
The company left the scheme in July 2023.
A spokesperson for DEWR said the department worked with approved employers to ensure compliance, and monitored companies through a range of assurance activities and eligibility checks prior to engaging them with the scheme.
An AWU spokesperson said DEWR’s existing compliance policies were insufficient, and the new laws would make it easier to “hold dodgy operators … to account more quickly”.
