Fly fishing lures couple to Tasmania to grade potatoes By Peter Angel, State Manager – National Labour Hire Information Service, MADEC The chance to do some fly fishing and meeting some friendly Aussies attracted Jill and Alex to Tasmania where they are grading potatoes to qualify for a second-year visa. First choice not Australia When young American couple […]
Category Archives: Harvest Trail Information Service
National Harvest Labour Information Services Articles
Want year-round harvest work – think bananas By Rob Hayes, NHLIS State Manager, MADEC Bananas are part of everyday life and, with over five million eaten every day in Australia, it doesn’t take long to realise that there must be lots of people required to pick, pack and plant the bananas that we are all […]
By Peter Angel, NHLIS State Manager, MADEC Whose responsibility is it to check workers are legal? If you are an employer it is your legal responsibility to ensure your workers have the right to work. Using a labour hire contractor to avoid that obligation yourself is still fraught with danger; there are some circumstances where […]
Using the National Call Centre to get workers By Peter Angel The National Call Centre registers and promotes seasonal job vacancies and connects people looking for those jobs with growers. But what support can you expect when you call? How does the Call Centre know what I need? The Call Centre is based in Mildura […]
Get ready to manage the Hort Award changes Make sure you are ready for the changes that have occurred to the Horticulture Award, which mean casual workers are entitled to overtime payments in certain conditions. Hort award changes – are you ready? The most significant changes to the Horticulture Award since 2010 now mean that all casual workers […]
National labour hire licensing is coming – and it’s good news for horticulture By Rob Hayes, State Manager – National Harvest Labour Information Service, MADEC A national labour hire licensing scheme for horticulture was announced by the Liberal party prior to their re-election. Now, with new Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie at the helm, growers need […]
Citrus Picking – A Character Builder By Peter Angel, State Manager – National Harvest Labour Information Service, MADEC Picking citrus and working in citrus packing sheds is hard work, but jobs are available all year round and harvest lasts a few months meaning workers can stay in the one location and keep working. Picking […]
James is 31 years of age, a plumber from Wales. He arrived in Australia in November 2018 and has had constant work since. His main reason for coming to Australia was to travel with his girlfriend. He had heard some bad stories about working as a backpacker in Australia but felt that these were just […]
Workers advised to choose licensed labour hire agents Backpackers and others planning to do seasonal farm work in Queensland and Victoria with a labour hire agent can protect themselves by checking that the agency they choose to work with is licensed. A labour hire agency provides temporary staff to employers and pays them for […]
Migrant worker report has implications for growers The Federal Government has released a report on migrant workers, including those in horticulture, that recommends a national labour hire registration scheme and stronger enforcement against employers who don’t pay their staff properly. “The report contains recommendations that could have significant implications for the horticulture industry,” said Mr […]