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Agribusiness owners concerned about liability for COVID-19 outbreaks if employees refuse vaccination
MonMonday 22
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MonMonday 22
Agribusiness owners are unsure if they have the right to make vaccination mandatory.
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As Australians line up to receive the first batch of COVID-19 vaccinations this week, agribusiness owners are scrambling for answers and say government agencies have offered little support and guidance about the rollout.
Key points:
Business owners are worried they could be liable for COVID-19 outbreaks if employees refuse vaccination
The Victorian OH&S act is ill-equipped to give clear direction to employers on their responsibilities regarding vaccination, a lawyer says
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Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has pleaded with Premier Daniel Andrews to begin accepting thousands of seasonal workers to pick ripening summer crops, as farmers accuse the state and federal governments of passing the buck .
Victorian farmers require an estimated 26,000 workers within weeks, but there is no agreed plan to plug the labour shortfall. Of the approximately 140,000 backpackers who usually occupy about 80 per cent of the seasonal workforce, about 90,000 have left the country.
Catherine Velisha says the repercussions of the labour shortage have yet to be felt and the emotional and financial burden on farmers will be dire.
Credit:Scott McNaughton