Victoria is the only state which has not facilitated a program to host harvest labour from the islands, and fruit growers are warning of an impending shortage when the peak pear season hits in a few weeks’ time.
Ms Thomas said she was hopeful of a resolution for participation in the Pacific Workers program.
She said in any given season up to 20,000 workers were needed for the peak, and the Pacific Workers scheme was only part of the solution.
“In the past many businesses have relied on backpackers. To be frank, backpackers are not coming back soon, so we need to look at everything we can do to encourage a local workforce to take up local opportunities to pick and pack in the Goulburn Valley.”
Asked why the government could create a system for international tennis players to attend the Australian Open but not for farm labour, Ms Thomas said Victorians had worked hard in 2020 to suppress the coronavirus in this state and "we have sacrificed so much, we are not going to put any of that at stake. We need to be clear that we can bring in any overseas workers safely for them and for the state.”
Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the Victorian Government had "made a priority for the tennis players; it’d be good, after six months, you could probably have a little think about our agricultural workers.”
Mr Littleproud said the Federal Government had found 25,000 workers in 10 Pacific nations ready to come, but the Victorian Government hadn't taken them up.
“We are now waiting on them to approve these workers to come in. In fact, Aspen Medical, one of the most pre-eminent health organisations in the world, put a plan to Daniel Andrews in October last year to bring in workers, and that was either creating a tent city out in Mildura or in fact doing it on-farm, which they’re doing in Queensland, and we are still waiting on a decision from the Victorian Government.”
Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell said it was disappointing that Ms Thomas came to the area and did not meet with growers to specifically discuss the biggest issue facing the horticultural industry at the moment, and more disappointing that she brought no solution with her on an issue about which the government has been well aware.
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