The Times Australia
Mirvac Harbourside
The Times News

.

Labor’s PALM changes will push grocery prices up


Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said food prices were set to climb and cost-of-living pressures would get even harder for Australian families, with Labor’s anti-farming changes to the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme. 

Under the new rules from this month, farmers will be forced to offer a minimum of 30 hours per week, over four weeks, to workers from nine Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste. They will then be forced to offer 30 hours per week, every week, from July 1, 2024.

This is despite agriculture work being seasonal and weather dependent and short-term workers already receiving an average of 42 hours per week, making the added bureaucracy futile. 

“The Nationals are deeply concerned that food prices will rise even further in 2024, at a time when families can least afford it,” Mr Littleproud said. 

Smart Berries farm manager Sally Jolly said growers are expressing growing apprehension.  

“The previously indispensable connection that served as a lifeline for both growers and employees has transformed into a discord between the government and the essential task of providing affordable food on our tables,” Mrs Jolly said. 

“The PALM Scheme ought to be employed and overseen to its maximum capacity to guarantee that all involved parties secure the benefits of this valuable initiative. Under Labor’s changes, it will be quite the opposite.”  

Director of Quebec Citrus Australia Ainsley Emmerton said her biggest concern was the minimum 30-hour rule.  

“Horticulture needs flexibility, as we are working with unpredictable weather and market conditions,” she said.  

Industry predicts there will be a 20 per cent decrease in worker numbers from July 1, on top of workers in the horticulture sector already reducing by 7.6 per cent from June to October 2023, when PALM changes were introduced.   

Approved Employers of Australia executive officer Steve Burdette said the 30-hour rule would be too difficult. 

“Every Australian understands seasonal availability in fruit and vegetables at the supermarket,” Mr Burdette said. 

“Farmers need four weeks averaging to manage seasonality – if we go to 30 hours every week, farmers will walk away. Contracts are being cancelled already. People now want to reduce their reliance on PALM because the pendulum has swung too far.” 

Labor has also delayed cracking down on exploitation through its National Labor Licencing Scheme.  

Mr Littleproud said Labor’s changes were clearly unworkable.  

“Labor is hindering agriculture by taking away the tools farmers need to grow the nation’s food and fibre. It shows Labor is completely out of touch with the industry.  

“Labor does not understand the agriculture sector, while continuing to ignore the pleas from other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to send workers to Australia under the Agriculture Visa, which Labor scrapped.”  

Australia’s top peak food industry bodies previously warned that agriculture required an additional 172,000 workers, yet only around 16,000 PALM workers have come in since Labor got into office.  

“The PALM Scheme has the potential of just 42,000 workers and is now even more unattractive for farmers to sign up to. The result will be farmers will choose to plant less and that means families will pay more.”

Mirvac Harbourside

Times Magazine

YepAI Joins Victoria's AI Trade Mission to Singapore for Big Data & AI World Asia 2025

YepAI, a Melbourne-based leader in enterprise artificial intelligence solutions, announced today...

Building a Strong Online Presence with Katoomba Web Design

Katoomba web design is more than just creating a website that looks good—it’s about building an onli...

September Sunset Polo

International Polo Tour To Bridge Historic Sport, Life-Changing Philanthropy, and Breath-Taking Beau...

5 Ways Microsoft Fabric Simplifies Your Data Analytics Workflow

In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to streamline their data anal...

7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign IT Support Companies in Sydney

Choosing an IT partner can feel like buying an insurance policy you hope you never need. The right c...

Choosing the Right Legal Aid Lawyer in Sutherland Shire: Key Considerations

Legal aid services play an essential role in ensuring access to justice for all. For people in t...

The Times Features

Macquarie Bank Democratises Agentic AI, Scaling Customer Innovation with Gemini Enterprise

Macquarie’s Banking and Financial Services group (Macquarie Bank), in collaboration with Google ...

Do kids really need vitamin supplements?

Walk down the health aisle of any supermarket and you’ll see shelves lined with brightly packa...

Why is it so shameful to have missing or damaged teeth?

When your teeth and gums are in good condition, you might not even notice their impact on your...

Australian travellers at risk of ATM fee rip-offs according to new data from Wise

Wise, the global technology company building the smartest way to spend and manage money internat...

Does ‘fasted’ cardio help you lose weight? Here’s the science

Every few years, the concept of fasted exercise training pops up all over social media. Faste...

How Music and Culture Are Shaping Family Road Trips in Australia

School holiday season is here, and Aussies aren’t just hitting the road - they’re following the musi...

The Role of Spinal Physiotherapy in Recovery and Long-Term Wellbeing

Back pain and spinal conditions are among the most common reasons people seek medical support, oft...

Italian Lamb Ragu Recipe: The Best Ragù di Agnello for Pasta

Ciao! It’s Friday night, and the weekend is calling for a little Italian magic. What’s better than t...

It’s OK to use paracetamol in pregnancy. Here’s what the science says about the link with autism

United States President Donald Trump has urged pregnant women[1] to avoid paracetamol except in ...