Peak horticulture body, Growcom, has launched its political wishlist, Healthy Horticulture for a Healthy Australia, with the endorsement of the Queensland Horticulture Council*. In coming weeks up until the election Growcom will release more detail about the items on its agenda. In summary, it calls on all sides of federal politics for their commitment towards:
- Building a strong horticultural workforce;
- Creating the conditions for a competitive horticulture industry;
- Investing in information and research for the future;
- Strengthening Australia’s biosecurity system;
- Supporting on-going efforts towards environmental sustainability, and;
- Promoting healthy eating to all Australians.
“Top of the list is our agenda for a strong horticultural workforce that would see the immediate scrapping of the 32.5 per cent tax rate for backpackers, due to be introduced in January,” said Chief Executive Officer Pat Hannan. “We call on all parties to follow the lead of Independent, Nick Xenophon, and the Greens in opposing this new tax which will see backpacker numbers decline in regional areas of Australia where they are vitally needed for seasonal work in horticulture.”
Hannan said that a comprehensive review of the labour needs of the horticulture industry needed to be undertaken by the new Federal Government encompassing such issues as:
- Attraction strategies;
- Skills development;
- Regulation of labour hire companies;
- Business and risk management;
- Succession planning, and;
- Identifying the best mechanisms for utilising overseas workers.
He said that the recent recommendations of the Productivity Commission’s Review of the Workplace Relations Framework needed to be put in place urgently, including:
- An end to the four-yearly modern award review;
- A revised modern awards objective that accommodates individual sector needs;
- New incentives to encourage enterprise bargaining, and;
- Changes to protected industrial action rules.
“Also on the list is promoting awareness of the Seasonal Worker Programme and establishing a Seasonal Worker Program Administration Fund to help encourage greater uptake by the horticulture industry,” Hannan said.
“Moreover, the current superannuation system for working holiday makers, in particular, the sole purpose test for superannuation needs to be reviewed, increasing the minimum threshold for contributions under the SGC and allowing visa holders to access funds whilst still in Australia,” he said.
“In addition, incentives need to be introduced to encourage Australian jobseekers to take up seasonal employment with horticulture employers.
“Funding support for formal and tailored skills sets which are the building blocks for ongoing skills and qualifications must also be improved for both employers and employees in horticulture.
“Capacity building and leadership development, particularly for women in horticulture, young growers and recent graduate entrants also needs to be supported.
“Work Health and Safety training must be harmonised to enable growers to implement new obligations and develop risk management strategies and this can only be done with support and funding.
“Strategies to encourage more people into horticultural support roles such as plant pathology and maximising their retention in these jobs must also be undertaken.
“Finally, we call on all parties to support investment in new and emerging labour saving technologies and to facilitate grower uptake of these technologies to ensure the competitiveness of our horticultural industry at home and abroad in the face of high wage rates.”
Hannan said that Growcom would distribute its election document to all political candidates in horticultural regions this week and call for their policy agenda to bolster horticultural production in Australia through a range of important measures.
“Growcom’s federal election statement outlines the actions for government to improve the competitive environment for horticulture businesses,” he said.
“Horticulture is Queensland’s second biggest and fastest growing agricultural sector. In Queensland it is second only to the beef industry in size, larger than sugar and grain. The industry represents about a third of Australian fruit and vegetable production in Australia. Politicians cannot afford to overlook the requirements for its continued growth and development in the years ahead.”
*The Queensland Horticulture Council was formed late last year, made up of grower executives from key regional growing organisations throughout the state.