Seasonal workers Jone Draunimasi Friday, November 28, 2014 Seasonal workers on the job. Picture: SUPPLIED+ Enlarge this image Seasonal workers on the job. Picture: SUPPLIED A milestone has been achieved and thanks to Julia Bishop, the Australian Foreign Minister and Voreqe Bainimarama, Fijis Prime Minister for the reciprocal gestures and agreements leading to Fijis inclusion in the Seasonal Worker Program (SWP) due to start shortly in Australia in 2015. Its been a long time coming since Fiji has been patiently awaiting the once elusive but now a timely moment to seize such an opportunity. If co-ordinated and managed properly, the SWP will bring additional new money and wealth to the workers, new jobs and increased foreign exchange for the much needed economic growth, fuelling more trade, investment, job opportunities and prosperity for Fiji. Certainly, given the conducive and receptive environment, earnings from the SWP may equal or even surpass tourism. It is a win-win situation for Fiji, particularly against the backdrop of the fallen international sugar prices that once used to be the mainstay of the small island economy. Surely the SWP will be an avenue to fulfill the needs of the disadvantaged and the poor, meeting international commitment of the MDGs such as poverty reduction, universal education and health improvement across the population. SWP, what an additional instrument for development this is for Fiji! While the Australian Government is currently working on the MOU (memorandum of understanding) concerning job opportunities in Australia, it is important to echo the statements made by the Australian Foreign Minister, Ms Bishop… the program is demand driven and currently exists in the hospitality and agriculture areas. According to Ms Bishop, the Australian Government would work out how many Australian employers want Fijian seasonal workers; … hoping that it might even be expanded. Three facts are clear from Ms Bishops statement: The jobs are available in the Australian hospitality and agricultural sectors; there are certain areas within the two sectors that require seasonal workers, for example accommodation, horticulture (fruit picking), aquaculture, cotton and cane, and job demands are created by Australian employers who need seasonal workers. To all those involved, some thought provoking questions arise in setting up the SWP, some may or may not have been answered or partially answered, some still pending due to information gaps or other factors. Some questions are: Why do we need a seasonal workers program? Is it free or not free of charge to join the program? Who is eligible or ineligible to participate in the SWP? What are the criteria and the checklists for applicants? What is the expected individual income per worker in any 6 months rotation? How will these incomes be reinvested wisely upon return? What is the expected annual foreign exchange earnings from the SWP? Who will sponsor these workers? How will the policies and programs be designed to make it an effective and a lasting one? How much and what kind of government resources are needed to start the program? Can we learn from good practices of those Pacific countries already in the program? How can we make the SWP sustainable? How many workers are allowed to participate in the program annually? Who will provide oversight responsibility for the SWP? The list is not exhaustive. According to consultations with some employers and contractors in Australia, the minimum wage for farm/seasonal workers is AUD16.85 per hour, depending on the kind of farm activity and the seasonal changes. For example, some fruits are picked all year while some are picked off season, again depending on what kind of fruits being picked (grapes, oranges, apples, pears, cherry, water melon and varieties of vegetables, pulses etc). At the going wage rate, a simple conversion in Fijian dollars work out to be FJD27.65 per hour. In a week a worker would earn around FJD1500.00 and translating to FJD36000.00 per worker over a six-month period. If Fiji is allowed a cap of 2500 workers (this is the cap allowed for PNG), the annual aggregate income from the SWP would be a staggering FJD180 million before tax per year. Of course, inevitably, there are risks and uncertainties involved such as the weather pattern (high temperatures, rainy days) but these risks are inherent in every agribusiness enterprise that can be reduced if risks are reasonably well calculated. For example, an activity could be carried out on overtime basis (a higher wage) in anticipation of an emerging drought, rainy days or high temperature and other natural disasters. Whatever it is, Fiji must grab and grip this opportunity and let it not slip away. We live in a competitive world, there are thousands of workers from many countries around the world doing the same jobs with the same work and holiday visas in Griffith, Robin Vaile, Alice Spring to name a few . Fiji definitely has a niche here. So we must work smart and do it right the first time if the SWP is to be a success in the long run. Let us make haste while the sun shines! Sa sia. * Jone Draunimasi is the Former Counsellor/Deputy High Commissioner, Fiji High Commission, Canberra, ACT, Australia. All rights reserved by the author. Any unauthorised broadcasting, publication performance, copying or re-recording will constitute an infringement of copyright.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 01:53:16 +0000
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