A RECENT email from an employer group obtained by the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) confirms the union’s fears that the Federal Government's new Ag Visa scheme "will flood regional Australia with poorly paid foreign workers at the expense of local jobs, especially among young women".

AWU national secretary Dan Walton said the email was proof that the Shearing Contractors Association of Australia, "in cahoots with the National Farmers Federation", is basically saying, “Let’s get in on the chance for cheap labour.”

The Ag Visa scheme, hastily announced in the wake of the new Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement signed at the G7, targets vulnerable workers from South East Asia.

In the email to its members, the Shearing Contractors Association of Australia (SCAA) said it envisaged members “accessing some of the 700 ‘Non-skilled’ workers from an ASEAN country -- most likely Indonesia but that is to be confirmed -- who will arrive over summer”.

“The workers will be paid Shed Hand Award wages (not the higher rates),” the letter said. “This is not the only opportunity to engage overseas workers, just the first opportunity. Once the system is established, it’s likely you can engage the workers directly and therefore at a lower cost.”

Mr Walton said what the AWU has feared – that the Ag Visa will simply be used as a way for unscrupulous employers to cut wages and conditions – is now happening.

“This email is just like an order form: How many cheap workers do you want? Put in your request now so you can pay them a much lower rate,” Mr Walton said.

Stef Mackey, a roustabout and shed hand working in a contracting team near Young, NSW, said more than 80 percent of the nation’s roustabouts were young women.

“These Ag Visas will not only take jobs from young Australians in regional towns with high unemployment, they will also target young women and deny them a foot in the door of the shearing industry,” Ms Mackey said.

“And every single shearer on our team started out rousting, so if they don’t get that opportunity because it's no longer there, we’ll soon run out of shearers.”

Mr Walton said he could not see how the Federal Government, NFF and SCAA could justify claims of a shearing-industry labour shortage.

“What shortage? We have had two years of pandemic, wool prices are up, total wool production is up and the flock was shorn, even though they said it couldn’t possibly be done without overseas workers,” he said.

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HUNTER VALLEY locals protested outside NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes’ office today as concerns mount over the climate impacts of burning fossil fuels and the lack of long-term economic economic benefits the Kurri Kurri gas plant will bring to the Hunter Valley community. 

The protest was led by the Gas Free Hunter Alliance and local constituents - starting at 10am at 1725 Pittwater Road, Mona Vale - and presented Mr Stokes with a 55,000 signature petition calling on him to reject planning approval for the outdated and polluting Kurri Kurri gas plant. 

It comes as a recommendation by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment is expected “imminently” on the Kurri Kurri gas plant. 

Mr Stokes is then likely to then rapidly make a decision based on that recommendation, as the project has Critical State Significant Infrastructure status.

“Kurri Kurri needs jobs with a future, like renewable energy, not to be fobbed off with only a handful of ongoing jobs created using last century's technology and more than $600 million of public money,”  Kurri Kurri local Janet Murray said. 

Just this week over 100 countries, excluding Australia, signed up to a global methane pledge aimed at curbing methane emissions at COP26 in Glasgow, due to the immense global warming effect of the gas. The type of gas that would be burnt at the proposed Kurri Kurri power station is predominantly made up of methane.

At the event, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told the world that Australia was tackling climate change, however, the Morrison Government continues to push ahead with its gas-fired recovery by subsidising fossil fuel projects, like the outdated and polluting Kurri Kurri gas peaking plant.

The Gas Free Hunter Alliance are calling for the Morrison Government and the NSW Government to make urgent plans to invest in more clean renewable energy projects in the Hunter Valley to generate electricity and create new jobs, instead of funding new fossil fuel projects. 

GFHA co-coordinator Carly Phillips said she had concerns about carbon emissions from the gas plant.

“The building of any new gas infrastructure is entirely incompatible with NSW and Federal Government targets of reaching net zero emissions by 2050, never mind the fact that very few local jobs would be created,” Ms Phillips said. 

“The conservative International Energy Agency has categorically stated that no new gas infrastructure can be built around the world if we are to align with Paris Agreement climate commitments of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees by 2050.”

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ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY may force employers covered under 21 awards to rethink their Christmas strategy as the minimum wage increases from November 1.

Unlike most awards that saw the increase take effect on July 1, these 21 awards, which include hospitality, restaurant, fitness, and hair and beauty are the last to receive it. As of November 1, the national minimum wage for those covered under these awards is $20.33 per hour. In other words, the minimum a full-time employee receives is $772.60 per week.

“This rise, while in line with other industries, could not have come at a worse time for businesses heading into the busy end of the year, particularly those in eastern states who have just emerged from lockdown and not seen a steady profit come in for quite some time,” Employsure Business Partner Emma Dawson said.

“The rise doesn’t just mean the minimum wage goes up, but also casual loading rises along with it. For businesses in the hospitality and restaurant industries who are looking to take on more staff to help with the upcoming Christmas and summer rush, this may make them rethink how much staff they are able to hire, ultimately hurting the financial prospects of casual employees.

“Employers should educate themselves on the changes to the minimum wage, and update their payroll systems and processes accordingly to avoid the risk of underpaying employees.”

The topic of wages has dropped off the minds of employers in recent months due to lockdown. Employsure’s advice line for business owners recorded 2,100 wage related calls in September, the lowest of any month in 2021 and a 14 percent decrease compared with September last year.

In the lead up to Christmas, employers will need to ensure more than ever they’re paying their staff correctly in line with the wage rise, and it is expected the topic of wages will again become the centre of attention, alongside workplace vaccinations.

While a rise to the minimum wage may cause greater financial stress initially it does present a silver lining for employers. More money in the pockets of employees means more cash that gets funnelled back into the economy, which could ultimately lead to more being spent in the businesses who need it most.

“While wage increases are a challenge for any business to implement, it does present an opportunity to improve financial health. Being creative with cost savings and identifying new efficiencies can help a business manage when wages increase, particularly in the lead up to Christmas,” Ms Dawson said.

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THE Business Council for Sustainable Development (BCSD) Australia has written to encourage Prime Minister Scott Morrison, as he heads towards the G20 Summit in Italy, before heading off to the UN Glasgow Climate Conference, to use the opportunity to call for greater ambition by all G20 countries on climate action.

“Almost 800 companies have signed an Open Letter to G20 Leaders ahead of the G20 Summit and COP26, appealing to governments to go all in to keep the 1.5ºC of the Paris Agreement within reach,” BCSD Australia CEO Andrew Petersen said. The companies that have signed the letter have operations covering all G20 countries, represent over US$2.7 trillion in revenue and employ more than 10 million people worldwide, he said.

The BCSD Australia is the focal point for the We Mean Business Coalition in Australia, which gathered the signatures of businesses and called for greater policy ambition from the G20 for business and government to accelerate action together "to keep 1.5 degrees celsius within reach".

Mr Petersen said the list of signatories included many companies from diverse sectors headquartered within Australia, including Atlassian, Stantec, Intrepid Travel, Energetics and Sendle..

In its letter to G20 leaders, the We Mean Business Coalition called on them to raise their national climate commitments, including NDCs and net-zero strategies in line with at least halving global emissions by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2050, phasing out coal power, removing fossil fuel subsidies by 2025, putting a meaningful price on carbon, delivering on the US$100 billion finance commitment to developing countries and making climate-related financial disclosures mandatory.  

The BCSD Australia letter to the Prime Minister can be viewed here.

The signatory list and full text of the letter coordinated by the We Mean Business Coalition can be viewed here.



About BCSD Australia 
BSCD Australia is an Australian coalition of over 70 private and public organisations advocating for progress on sustainable development. Its mission is to be a catalyst for innovation and sustainable growth in a world where resources are increasingly limited. The council provides a platform for companies to share experiences and best practices on sustainable development issues and advocate for their implementation, working with governments, non-governmental and intergovernmental organisations. BCSD Australia’s members include leading Australian businesses, from all sectors, who share a commitment to economic, environmental and social development, public sector enterprises institutions, business and industry non-government organisations and community organisations, which in turn represent more than 100,000 Australian employees.

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