Labor’s Backpacker Attack Will Leave Local Farms Scrambling

The Albanese Labor Government’s two-pronged attack on backpackers would be devastating to the Dawson community and local economy.

Starting 1 July, Labor will increase the cost of the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa from $130 to $640, making it the highest visa fee of its kind in the world.

The Government is also considering reducing the WHM visa to one-year and removing any regional work requirements.

The regional work requirement was an initiative to address labour shortages.

Mr. Willcox said towns like Bowen, Ayr and Home Hill rely on backpackers following the harvest trail to work in essential industries and support small businesses by spending their money locally.

“To ensure my region can feed the nation, backpackers are essential in getting our crops picked. Labor’s visa changes mean this could leave farmers in a bigger workforce shortage hole.

“By making the Working Holiday Maker visa almost 5 times more expensive it will discourage backpackers from coming to Australia, which means fewer workers helping out in agriculture and hospitality jobs and fewer visitors supporting our tourism businesses.

“If Labor reduce the backpacker visa to just one year and remove the regional work requirements it will devastate our local economy as well as other regional economies around the country.

“We love backpackers in Dawson and the Coalition supports our successful Working Holiday Maker program. Prime Minister Albanese needs to stand up today and match the Coalition’s commitment.”

There are more than 137,000 WHM visa holders currently in Australia who are spending money on holidays and working in critical industries. WHM visa holders make up to 80% of the harvest labour force in horticulture, while in other commodities they account for 5% to 15% of the junior, casual and seasonal workforce.

Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Dan Tehan said the backpacker sector contributed $3 billion to the economy and helped address critical workforce shortages, especially in regional Australia.

“Labor are making backpackers the scapegoat for their Big Australia policy. Under Labor 1.5 million people are coming to Australia over five years in the middle of a housing crisis, and Anthony Albanese’s solution is to price backpackers out of coming here.”

“Labor’s attack on backpackers will be disastrous for our tourism and agriculture sectors and it will make us a less attractive destination for visitors.”

Limiting the WHM visa to one year was a key recommendation in Labor’s Review of the Migration System, that was provided to government in March.

Even the Labor Government-funded Tourism Australia is calling for the WHM program to be expanded and made cheaper not cut: “WHMs are a valuable travelling segment. They tend to stay longer, spend more and disperse more widely throughout the country than other international arrivals. Tourism Australia is broadly supportive of any changes made to WHM visa settings that expand the visa criteria for WHMs and reduce the costs associated with obtaining a WHM visa.”