1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,160 Speaker 1: Now with the election just nine days away, it does 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:06,279 Speaker 1: mean that we're currently in caretaker mode on the federal scale, 3 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:09,560 Speaker 1: which effectively means much of the government decision making is 4 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: put on hold. 5 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:10,959 Speaker 2: Now. 6 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,319 Speaker 1: This can have obviously wide ranging impacts and is even 7 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:19,080 Speaker 1: impacting our ag visa system and staffing on local farms. 8 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: Now joining me on the line right now is Farmer III, 9 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: the owner of Two's Garden and it is indeed the 10 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: Top End's largest mango farm. Good morning to you. 11 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 2: Hey, Good morning Kathy, and good morning everyone. 12 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: It's lovely to have you on the show. Now, what 13 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 1: is the situation with agricultural visas right now? 14 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 2: Well, agriculture visa has been announced in June twenty twenty 15 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 2: one which is expanded to the Asian country the ten 16 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 2: Asian countries. It's so far we have a Vietnam, this 17 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 2: one to sign up and the others are still waiting 18 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 2: for the details. How are we going to help the 19 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 2: agriculture sectors and holding culture sectors in the Australia to 20 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 2: harvesting their food and vegetable And this is a ray 21 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 2: of hope for Funning, you know, being a farmer for 22 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 2: the last thirty years in the Top in either our 23 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 2: labor is always our issues always a problem for us 24 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 2: because via number one remote number two you know it's 25 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 2: very hot and humidity. You know, it's very hard access 26 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 2: to the staff. And you know we are very like 27 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 2: I said earlier, this is a rare of core for 28 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 2: for the agriculture sector. This is the eighty billion dollars 29 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 2: sectors in Australia itself. Yeah. 30 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: Well and here in the Northern Territory. It's such a 31 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: massive sector and one which you know when when you've 32 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: got the staff it is absolutely thriving. I would imagine 33 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: how are you going at the moment when it comes 34 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: to getting staff and then being able to keep them. 35 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 2: It's very hard. Everyone seemed to be promoting like well 36 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 2: let the call a coach work or letter. You know, 37 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 2: the the great nomad. You know they're beautiful people. But 38 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:10,119 Speaker 2: as soon as they have one season they have enough. 39 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 2: We we we lose that continuity. That's why agricultural visa introduced. However, 40 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 2: it is scary when we hear the Urbanzi government, if 41 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 2: he's going to be in power, they're going to scratch 42 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 2: the agriculture visa, which is the most concerning for for 43 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,639 Speaker 2: for the farming community. And that we you know what 44 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 2: what you're going to help us in terms of how 45 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 2: we're seeing the fruit. This is our livelihood. Yes, and 46 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 2: you know, don't don't use political as a footballer who 47 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 2: you know for you know playing this our lives and 48 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 2: and and a food supply for for Australian and international 49 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 2: as well. 50 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: Yes, So to from your perspective at the moment, I mean, 51 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 1: how many people would you usually employ at at your 52 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:04,679 Speaker 1: two's garden, at your farm. 53 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 2: We do employ between eighty two hundred and twenty harward season. Yeah, 54 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 2: because of you know, within six weeks we drop it 55 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:18,360 Speaker 2: to twenty full time. That's it. So the mental industry 56 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 2: meets between two thousand people in four to eight weeks. 57 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,520 Speaker 2: And as soon as you finished the harward season, the 58 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 2: labor has the number of the employee has dropped to 59 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 2: only ten or twenty percent of the workforce requirements. That's 60 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 2: why agriculture visa is very important for us to be 61 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 2: able to employ someone during the harward season. Take the 62 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 2: food of the tree, take the vegetable off the ground 63 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 2: and put on the customer consumer table. 64 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: And so too. Sorry, so excuse my naivety because I 65 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: don't know a huge amount about the harvest when you 66 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: know what part of the season we're in at the moment. 67 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 1: But are you in a situation right now where you 68 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: are obviously trying to get workers for your farm and 69 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: aren't able to because of the ag visa situation. 70 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 2: Well, we do try to kill a lot of many 71 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 2: way even though local, even though we contact Mala Luga 72 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 2: you know, to have the people to come during the 73 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 2: harvest season. But that is a very for example, it 74 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:33,239 Speaker 2: is a when you see food hanging on the tree, 75 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 2: you don't know where your stuff got to come from. 76 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 2: Let's put a lot of stress and you know suffocated 77 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 2: to the farmer. For me being the last thirty years farming, 78 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 2: and I see the last two years is being quite 79 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 2: challenging because of COVID situations. You know, people have close contact, 80 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 2: they cannot go out to work. I think it's a 81 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 2: whole sectors now, you know, even airport, even the school. 82 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 2: Got to be a very very difficult year in term 83 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 2: of fine people to work. This year I think got. 84 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: To be worse. 85 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 2: If the government continue to you know, use the farming 86 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 2: livelihoods as footballers, I think it is going to be 87 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 2: very very difficult. 88 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 1: Yeah, So what do you want to say too, from 89 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: from both of the major political parties as we head 90 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 1: to the election, the federal election on May twenty one, 91 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,400 Speaker 1: do you want to see some surety when it comes 92 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: to these agg visas. 93 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 2: I want to see some action. I want to see 94 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 2: the first group of agriculture of visa landed in Australia 95 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 2: July this year. Because they've been from in December last year. 96 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 2: The promise has not been kept and we've been waiting. 97 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 2: We've been waiting, and now in the care tager more, 98 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 2: no one wants to do anything. And now even the 99 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 2: Amadisi government talking about going to scare the whole lot. 100 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 2: And even though the the country that sign up they're 101 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 2: going to scrap as well. I mean that's you know, 102 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 2: for me, it's in the national relations, political internal politics. 103 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 2: When you absolutely sign up the contract, you should be honored. Yeah, 104 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 2: and you know, hey, Morrison government already introduced it. Carry 105 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:33,279 Speaker 2: on because National Farmer Federations, Anti Mango Association, Australian Mango Associations, 106 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 2: Anti Farmer Associations. We've been working so hard to get 107 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 2: these agricultures visa up for the last ten years and 108 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 2: we've been told that, well we're not going to honor it. 109 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 2: I mean that that's a very sad day. 110 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 1: It has to happen. Two, what will it mean if 111 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: there are changes? No matter who gets elected at the 112 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: federal the federal election, but if there are changes and 113 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: these act visis don't go ahead, what will it mean 114 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 1: to a farm like yours? 115 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 2: Well, where you get the people from. You know, I 116 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 2: don't even contemplate they're talking about, you know, bring more backpacker. 117 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 2: We gotta going back to old traditional backpacker, which is 118 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 2: they're here for the working holiday visa. They're not here 119 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 2: to come to work, make money, send money home, look 120 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 2: after their families. They're here to have a good time. 121 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 2: You know, they good. Some of them's good backpacker. I'm 122 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 2: not saying that they're all bad. Some of them's good. 123 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 2: But the problem is they cannot coming back every year 124 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 2: because of the training the people, you know, each year, 125 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 2: training them to pick the right fruit, training them to 126 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 2: pick the good fruit, train them to manage the fruit. 127 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 2: It's not easy, not like you know, teach three day courts. 128 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 2: We're talking about eavey employ the same person every year, 129 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 2: and we know exactly where it's going to come from. 130 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 2: And they come here to work hard, get paid Australian wages, 131 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:08,559 Speaker 2: going back home, send their kids to school, build their home. 132 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 2: I think it's the best humanitarian that Australian can support 133 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 2: all of those people who are willing to work in 134 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 2: the ancient country. There are our family, there are our neighbors. 135 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 2: We need to support the one that's not so privileged 136 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 2: to have to have the money to go to university, 137 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 2: the one that works in the mango farm in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, 138 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 2: that they be able to come here. Yep, you know, 139 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,959 Speaker 2: earn some money, pick the right fruit, manage the good fruit, 140 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 2: go home well too. 141 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:47,080 Speaker 1: I really appreciate your time this morning and making myself 142 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,679 Speaker 1: and our listeners aware of these issues. Thank you so 143 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:50,959 Speaker 1: much for having a chat with me. 144 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 2: Thank you Kathy, thank you everyone. 145 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:54,439 Speaker 1: Thank you.