Acting Chief Minister
Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
Media Release Federal Labor Members silent as Canberra’s immigration changes threaten to gut the Territory
28 September 2026
Proposed federal migration changes to Working Holiday Maker visas could leave the Territory nearly 1,000 workers short for mango harvest, resulting in close to a million unpicked trays and costing roughly $27 million.
Acting Chief Minister Gerard Maley has called on the Territory’s three federal Labor representatives to end their silence and stand up for Territory workers, communities and industries.
The Finocchiaro CLP Government is urging Canberra to exempt the Territory from damaging visa cuts, warning a one-size-fits-all migration policy ignores Northern Australia’s unique workforce needs and threatens the Territory economy.
The Territory faces being nearly 1,000 workers short for the mango harvest season, leaving close to a million trays unpicked thanks to the Albanese government’s proposed migration changes which will leave fruit rotting on trees and cripple the $128m industry.
Acting Chief Minister Gerard Maley said the ramifications of slashing visa numbers would be nothing short of catastrophic, leaving 70% of the of the harvest to rot and costing up to $27 million.
He called on the Territory’s three federal Labor MPs to stand up to Canberra before it was too late to save crops, jobs and the economy.
“It is clear they have no pull or will to deliver for their own constituents in the Territory. Their apathy over such a critical issue is a disgrace,” Minister Maley said.
“This is about people’s lives and livelihoods – they need to step up it’s as simple as that,”
The Commonwealth has announced changes to the Working Holiday Maker visa program that reduced the cap on second-year visas from 57,000 to 45,000 and slashed third-year visas from 31,000 to just 5,000.
Minister Maley said the ramifications of the federal government’s plan to visa numbers would cripple the mango industry, which needs about 3,500 workers during harvest.
The Territory mango industry contributes more than $128 million to the economy each year, and in 2025-26 produced more than half of Australia’s mango supply.
“This isn’t just a number on a spreadsheet, it’s fruit left rotting on trees, income lost by growers, fewer jobs in regional communities and less economic activity flowing through the Territory,” Minister Maley said.
“The Territory’s three Federal Labor Members are doing nothing to address this crisis in their own backyard,” Minister Maley said.
Canberra’s slash and burn approach to working holiday maker visas means hundreds of jobs will not be filled for the harvest – leaving more than 900,000 trays left unpicked, valued at around $27 million of gross production value potentially at risk.
Minister Maley said the mango industry won’t be the only industry affected.
“Industries such as hospitality, agriculture and tourism operating right across the Territory depend on access to a reliable seasonal workforce,” he said.
Minister Maley said the changes demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of how heavily northern Australia relies on backpackers to keep key industries operating.
“I understand that the southern states have their particular issues over migration, but we are a different story – we need migration to fill jobs and keep the economy ticking over,” Minister Maley said.
“If Federal Labor’s Territory representatives truly support local jobs and economic growth, now is the time to prove it. They should be demanding exemptions, fighting for regional industries and making the case for the Territory inside the Labor Party room.
“I call on the Territory’s federal Labor MPs to tell Mr Albanese that the Territory doesn’t need to be the victim of Canberra’s political games.
“Silence is not leadership, and right now the silence from the Territory’s Federal Labor members is deafening and the Territory deserves action,” he concluded.
