Federal Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster MP says she is dismayed at the Albanese Government’s axing of $47.3 million in funding for Harvest Trail Services and Harvest Trail Information Service (HTIS) from 1 July, saying the two are essential services for securing farm labour in north-western Victoria.

The free services initiated by the former Howard government in 1998 linked farmers with backpackers and jobseekers during the harvest period (the ‘harvest trail’) comprising horticultural, viticultural, and other agricultural operations across the nation.

“The Albanese Labor Government is yet again making farmers’ lives harder with this decision, overlooking a resurgence of backpacker (‘working holiday maker’) labourers since the pandemic – more than before the pandemic. The Harvest Trail services need to continue, not to be axed based on pandemic-level numbers.

“I am also very concerned that the axing of these services will result in a free-for-all that no longer guarantee the background checking of workers and employers. Labor do not practice what they preach about protecting workers from exploitation while they axe protective services.

Dr Webster endorsed the comments of National Farmers Federation Horticulture Chair Jolyon Burnett, who said “When a government can find money to fund a rugby league competition in Papua New Guinea, but they can’t fund a service that has shown itself to add value to rural communities, it’s very frustrating.”

“Labor’s cuts yet again demonstrate they neither care about or understand regional Australia and farming. Labor is bent against farmers hiring people in a way that has been used for generations and overwhelmingly has been positive for farmers and farm labourers alike,” Dr Webster said.

“Yet again Labor is undercutting the farming workforce, as they did when they cancelled the Coalition’s Ag Visa initiative, their inability (until the 11th hour) to see momentarily see common sense a fixed 30 hours’ work week for PALM workers, and raising of the TSMIT (skilled migration income threshold) to something farmers just can’t afford. Add to this Labor’s radical industrial relations chambers – including a messy ‘right to disconnect’ that has no comprehension of the seasonal and surge nature of farm work – and yet again you find Labor showing zero regard for regional workforce challenges.”

The HTIS, run by MADEC, will have to close its doors in 6 regional locations beyond Mallee, making 40 staff redundant.