The ongoing impact of the Federal Government’s so-called backpacker tax continues to reverberate through the fruitpicking industry … and perhaps present greater opportunities for grey nomads.
In Tasmania, for example, John Brown from Sassafras Orchards says he is expecting a serious picker shortage in the season ahead.
Producers around the state are now picking summer cherries and berries, but Mr Brown told the Advocate newspaper it would not be until the picking of the autumn fruit got underway that he would really started to feel the pinch.
“We will need about 120 pickers in March and April and I think we’re going to have problems,” he said.
The Advocate reports that, when the backpacker tax was introduced in 2017, the federal government’s Seasonal Work Incentives Trial was supposed to soften the blow by encouraging jobseekers to take up seasonal horticultural work. Under the trial jobseekers can earn up to $5000 from seasonal work without reducing their Newstart and Youth Allowance payments.
However, Mr Brown ran into problems last season before the tax was introduced, as backpackers started shunning Australian working holidays when the idea was first touted.
“Last year we were desperate and put a sign out on the road and we got a few pickers,” he said. “I reckon it’s going to be a real problem.”
Other Tasmanian producers have found alternative methods to find workers.
The owners of Beauty Point cherry orchard, Tim and Annette Taylor, have had to advertise through an employment agency to find the pickers they need.
“We had to fill the positions through an agency,” Mrs Taylor said. “This year was the first time that we’ve had to do it as we usually employ local people.”
Backpacker Taxes and Subsidies in the farming Industry should be made available to Australians doing the same job. Both International Backpackers and Casual Australian Workers are needed for the industry
Retired orange and grape picker looking to earn extra money can’t live on pension. Looking for work can we help. Michael
This industry has a bad reputation with both Australian and foreign workers. Exploitation and underpayment is rife and many foreign workers are forced into overpriced substandard accommodation. If they want more workers the industry needs to clean up its act.
How can l find the dates for picking in each state as l will be a full time grey nomad from September and this year. Thanks
Just Google Jobsearch.gov.au – this will give you all the info you need (by the way we have done picking before and enjoyed it though try and get jobs in the Packing Sheds if you can – not as hard)
The growers should run an add with what is available in the Grey Nomads Times etc, like close or handy parks,what needs picking and suitable jobs for us older farts, that still are prepared to put in a good days work.There are a lot of us that are used to the hard slog of our past and are looking to top up our coffers.With the cost of living going up all the time. Farmers would proberly find that if treated right,paid right and could find reasonable accomodation within say 20 klms we would proberly come back each year.Cheers Stevo.