Nationals Leader Matt Canavan will urge Labor to fix the immigration and backpacker visa mess it has created for the Riverina this week.
Senator Canavan will speak to Cootamundra and Temora locals, about The Nationals’ immigration plan and the clarity needed for local businesses.
“The Coalition has announced an immigration plan which is sensible and puts the needs of Australians first,” Senator Canavan said.
“Immigration Minister Tony Burke announced changes to the backpacker intake, where year two will cut the backpacker intake from 57,000 to 45,000 and year three will cut from 31,000 to 5,000. This is a cut in numbers over years two and three by more than 40 per cent.
“Labor has created this mess itself – now it must also fix it. So far, there is no clarity or explanation as to how our tourism businesses are supposed to cope over summer.”
Nationals Member for Riverina, Michael McCormack, said backpackers are an essential part of agriculture, tourism, and hospitality sectors, providing a critical role in helping businesses get through seasonal peaks when local workers aren’t available.
“For the Albanese Government to deliberately target this cohort is a disgrace,” Mr McCormack said.
“The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) will now be forced to submit applications to fast-track backpackers during critical planting and harvesting seasons, effectively acting as a migration agent.
“The Labor Government must provide immediate clarity about how farmers will get the workers they need and who will decide how – and how quickly – that happens.
“But rather than fix the mess themselves, Labor sees fit to put the burden on those who have the least amount of time and resources to do so.”
Nationals Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, said local producers are heading into one of the most critical periods of the agricultural calendar and need certainty now, not more confusion.
“Farmers across the Cootamundra electorate are already grappling with rising input costs at one of the most critical times of the year,” Ms Cooke said.
“From the cherry harvest in the Hilltops to the grain harvest across our broadacre cropping regions, producers depend on seasonal workers to get crops off the ground and to market.”
“This is one area where the Federal Government can provide certainty today and take some pressure off an industry that continues to be hit with setback after setback.”
