Fears that a planned backpacker tax could lead to a shortage of agricultural labour are growing … but not everyone is convinced that grey nomads will be up to the task of filling the void.
Taxes for working holidaymakers are set to rise to 32.5% and the Government will also remove the tax-free threshold for earnings up to $18,200. The plan has sparked major opposition from producers who fear their seasonal workforce will disappear. Opposition to the new rules – which were to come into effect last month – have already forced their deferral by six months.
But that hasn’t been enough to quell the disquiet on the backpacker grapevine. The Rural newspaper reports that travellers are already abandoning rural work in droves in area such as the Riverina in New South Wales because of the higher tax plan.
There have been suggestions in some quarters that grey nomads with their strong work ethic and their roaming lifestyle would be natural replacements.
However, some business leaders have rubbished the idea.
“It’s crazy,” Griffith Business Chamber vice-president, Paul Pierotti, told the Rural. “The primary reason backpackers are doing this work is because no one will and it’s very, very hard manual work … for grey nomads I can’t see it.”
He says that for the sort of work required, you have to be young, fit, and strong … and that a shortage of backpacker labour will threaten the sustainability of farmers.
“They are extremely concerned about it, and the number of backpackers coming into the area have already dropped dramatically,” Mr Pierotti said. “It’s not like people have been knocking down doors and competing against backpackers.”
He says the only realistic way the worker shortage can be filled is by sourcing more overseas workers.
I started picking fruit, at 15 yrs, then every other job known to mankind. I have worked for 50 + years to get to a point where I didn’t have to. Went without saved, and battled brought. Up children, etc, like so many others my age. What in the name OG sweet Jesus , makes you think in my Le age I want to go a do it again. This is a idea from a man who spent his life in a suit.
Well at my age, the answer would be that I probably could not meet the industry work standards.
As for the only realistic way the worker shortage can be filled is by sourcing more overseas workers. I would suggest that 80 % of back packers are from overseas.
Why is the government hell bent of taxing anything that moves.?
John
Sounds like age discrimination to me
Definately.
Not a business owner mick? There’s no one rule of course but in many cases that would be facts not discrimination. Even if you put aside general productivity etc, manual labour puts the employer at risk for a work cover injury with fit capable people, older people who may not have been super active for a while would be 10 x more risk at least, not only to the business owner but top the worker themselves, how many people you see get their ambition mixed up with their ability as they age ?
its experience and knowledge not discrimination
This whole situation developed because of some shortsighted politician wanted to earn brownie points from, dare I say, the illustrious PM. Yes, the work is very hard and no, some grey nomads, as much as they would love to help out, more from loyalty to the farmers than anything else, would find the work too demanding. The grab for tax will cost these producers dearly.
What about long term unemployed peole. Let them pick for their money and give back what they have used.
There is actually plenty of young Australian labour to do the work. The only problem is they are paid too much to not do the work! If the backpackers don’t work they don’t get money. While I have no problem with backpackers doing jobs, wouldn’t it be better if young Aussie kids were doing the work and earning some money.
This has to be a joke. We fruit-picked when we were in our late teens and quite fit and healthy. How could they even suggest that nomads (most with crook backs) could sling one of those heavy fruit bags over their shoulders, let alone climb up and down ladders with them on! Whoever suggested this maybe should try it sometime.
This is what becomes of a society that has done most of its living behind a desk and visits Glenelg on the week-end and think they know the world. What a sad sad country it is going to be in another 20 years. In a time of computers and TV that’s all you have, why not insist on people putting their money were there mouths are! Instead of coming up with half thought out ideas for our country why don’t you try exploring it and living with all the different types of communities first. The government of this country has so lost touch with its communities because of the bottom lines ALL THE TIME ITS HOW MUCH MORE MONEY CAN WE MAKE! Instead of considering the people that pay their wages. Now we want to penalise younger travellers to our shores not to mention the farmers who are the backbone of our existence! Let’s get back the connections between all Australians, let’s build communities and families not walls and borders!
With so many fit Australians on the dole maybe the government should relook at what is happening. Always cutting or taxing the pension and super but encouraging generations of people to demand every thing for nothing.
I do some heavy gardening at my own place (at 58), but for just a couple hours at a time. Are the farmers willing to employ more older people for fewer hours per person? Or, restructure the work so that it is more of a team effort per tree, rather than a person working alone as quickly as possible?
I don’t have a problem with backpackers working in the fruit picking industry. What does annoy me is that after their 3 months in rural work, they head for the city to work in clerical, retail and hospitality. It is time to get rid of the 2nd year visa, or else keep it for rural work only.