New agricultural working group meets for first time to tackle labour shortage crisis

A new group set up to unite farmers, unions and government in a bid to solve the agriculture sector’s labour shortage crisis has met for the first time in Brisbane on Friday.

The Agricultural Workforce Working Group was established during the Federal Government’s Jobs and Skills Summit in early September.

It includes Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt and representatives from the National Farmers’ Federation, Australian Dairy Farmers, the Australian Workers Union and the United Workers Union among others.

Mr Watt said the different parties had “agreed on a way forward” to address the “workforce challenges” that have been affecting Australia’s agriculture sector for several years.

“To continue that spirit of collaboration, this new tripartite working group will pursue solutions to better skill, attract, protect, and retain workers in the agriculture and processing sectors,” he said.

“Members of the working group have been selected to represent both employers and employees and will be tasked with consulting across the community.”

Mr Watt said the group would operate for the next 12 months, driving outcomes that would benefit the industry, workers, farmers, and the nation. “The working group will make sure Australian agriculture benefits from the outcomes of the government’s Jobs and Skills Summit and will inform the forthcoming Employment White Paper,” he said.

It’s estimated there is a shortfall of at least 172,000 workers across Australia’s food supply chain.

NFF president Fiona Simson said the sector had been grappling with workforce shortages for years and must find “a way forward”.

“If we don’t get this right, then we see farm production cut and consumers see those impacts on our shelves in supermarkets,” she said. “We want to attract the best and brightest to our industry, we want to make sure that we can attract Australians into our industry, and we also want to make sure that we can have visas that are fit for purpose for agriculture. “It’s critical for us that we are an industry of choice.”

Ms Simson’s comments came after she previously called for more action when the group was stablished nearly two months ago.

“As farmers we’re a bit sick of talking,” she told AAP at the time.

“It’s critically important that we start to turn all that talk into tangible action.”

Despite her reservations, Ms Simson at the time commended the Government for promising immediate action on increasing skilled migration and simplifying enterprise bargaining.

NFF Horticulture Council executive officer Richard Shannon echoed Ms Simson’s comments on Friday, saying he was looking forward to exploring what the group could achieve together.

“Our industry has been hugely supportive of the expansion of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme, to bolster our seasonal workforce and led the way in delivering the Fair Farms initiative to drive improved workplace practices,” he said.

Australian Workers Union secretary Daniel Walton said the group was an opportunity for unions to work together with industry and government to find ways to address the labour shortage crisis.

“We have been saying for years that we want real solutions to properly protect farm workers and this group offers a way forward,” he said. “There is genuine desire across the board to try and reach out and find some meaningful solutions to the big problems that face us in the agriculture industry.”

As a key player in the fresh food supply chain, United Workers Union national secretary Tim Kennedy said he hoped to play a constructive role in addressing workforce shortfalls in the sector.

He said the dialogue was “a good step forward” and it was important all parties were part of the conversation. “Some of the things we need to do and some of the conversations we have will be difficult, but we’re up for that,” he said. “The agricultural industry is very important to the Australian community, particularly within our regional communities, and it’s important we support the workers within agriculture to ensure the industry’s ongoing sustainability.” Also included in the group are Australian Meat Industry Council chief executive Patrick Hutchinson, Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michele O’Neil, Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union federal secretary Matt Journeaux, and Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry secretary Andrew Metcalfe.

The group is being facilitated by former Victorian Department of Agriculture board director and senior executive James Flintoft.

Public policy specialist and former National Agricultural Labour Advisory Committee chair John Azarias will also act as a special adviser to Mr Watt.