The National Farmers Federation has issued a warning that labour laws and red tape are affecting the recruitment and retention of agricultural workers, causing issues for Australian food security, farm viability, and regional economies.  

NFF President David Jochinke noted the complexity of industrial labour laws makes it difficult for some farmers to run their business.  

“ Small and family-run farms are struggling to navigate confusing rhetoric on pay rates, overtime, worker classification, compliance with fair work statutory regimes, and more.  

“Farmers want to pay their workers a fair wage, but complicated Industrial Relations laws could be streamlined so farmers can spend more time out in the paddock, rather than chained to the desk.”  

Mr Jochinke also criticised the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme as being "unworkable" for growers.  

“Short-term, we need to fix the PALM scheme, streamline the skilled visa system, and retain the Working Holiday Maker visa scheme," said Mr Jochinke.  

NFF President David Jochinke. Image: NFF 

The PALM scheme allows eligible businesses to employ workers from Timor-Leste, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, or Vanuatu, when local labour is not available to fill positions. As of March 2024, the PALM scheme provides jobs to more than 30,000 Pacific and Timor-Leste workers across the country.  

In the 2023-4 budget, adjustments and expansions were made to the PALM scheme, including additional resources to participating countries, supporting PALM workers to attain qualifications, improving access to superannuation savings, and medicare access for workers and their families.  

The PALM scheme also has a 30-hour minimum work guarantee or 120-hour four week guarantee, wherein workers are provided with a minimum amount of working hours during their tenure.  

NFF has received assurances from the Coalition that migration cuts would not affect the flow of agricultural workers, and is calling on Labor to give the same assurances.  

NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin.

NSW Farmers is also urging the Government to make practical regulatory reforms to workforce laws that reduce complexity for employers. They want the Albanese Government to reconsider its position on the PALM scheme’s 30-hour minimum work guarantee, if re-elected.   

President of NSW Farmers, Xavier Martin, echoed Jochinke's calls for streamlined industrial relations laws.  

“Workplace regulations must support productivity, not inhibit it. Compliance processes need to be streamlined so farmers can focus on running their businesses efficiently,” he said. 

Both the NFF and NSW farmers also called for increased support to the AgCAREERSTART gap year program, in which 17-25 year olds can access a paid job, training and development in the agriculture industry.