RIVERINA farms are finding themselves increasingly reliant on foreign labour to plug gaps during high workload periods.
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Griffith mayor John Dal Broi said it was important to have workers getting fruit off citrus trees and encouraged young people to give it a go.
“It’s hard work but if you knuckle down you can make reasonably good money,” Councillor Dal Broi said.
“Young people that are unemployed could certainly earn some money, it’s not rocket science to pick an orange.
“I’d encourage our locals to get out and earn some money.”
Citrus grower Sue Brighenti found most of the labour she required coming from foreign workers – a mix of backpackers and 457 visa holders – with locals often unwilling to tackle fruit picking work.
“It’s hard work and a lot of people are not prepared to put in anything hard and physical like picking and there’s just a shortage of labour,” she said.
The NSW Young Nationals, at their annual conference in Corowa, resolved to recognise the important role foreign workers play in filling labour shortages in the agricultural sector.
NSW Young Nationals chairman Dom Hopkinson, who is based in the Riverina, said foreign workers played a vitally important role in keeping the region’s agricultural sector viable and dynamic.
It’s not rocket science to pick an orange.
- John Dal Broi
“You’ve only got to look at parts of the Riverina to see how important 457 visas are in getting harvest to happen,” he said.
It wasn’t only the agriculture sector requiring foreign workers to fill the gaps, with Cr Dal Broi pointing out restaurants seemed to be all “foreign accents” these days.
“They’re working in those jobs and you’ve got to ask where are our locals?” Cr Dal Broi said.
“Maybe some of our students are having high expectations, they're educated, but everyone has to start somewhere.”
Foreign workers, however, were not always easy to source for farm operators. Mrs Brighenti would like to see the scheme widened to draw in more workers, with a particular emphasis on targeting countries with strong agricultural sectors.
“Ultimately I’d like to see anyone who wants to come in from anywhere, so long as they pass the medical and security tests to be able to come in and do six months work on a farm in Australia picking fruit,” Mrs Brighenti said. “Otherwise, you’re going to lose fruit industries.”