Vanuatu s High Commissioner claims seasonal workers in Queensland faced death threats
Posted
ThuThursday 25
updated
ThuThursday 25
FebFebruary 2021 at 11:50am
Vanuatu High Commissioner Samson Vilvil Fare claimed on social media that workers in Bundaberg were dealing with serious issues including a death threat.
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Vanuatu s High Commissioner to Australia has claimed that seasonal workers from the Pacific Island country have faced death threats after becoming embroiled in a bitter employment dispute in regional Queensland.
Key points:
Vanuatu s High Commissioner took to social media to complain about the treatment of ni-Vanuatu workers
He would not say who the death threats came from but that he was focussed on finding the best solution
Overseas seasonal workers can quarantine on farms in the NT
WedWednesday 3
updated
ThuThursday 4
FebFebruary 2021 at 4:51am
Seasonal workers first began arriving in the NT last year to help struggling mango farmers deal with a massive labour shortage caused by coronavirus travel restrictions.
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Seasonal workers arriving from overseas can now undertake their fortnight of mandatory quarantine on farms in the Northern Territory, meaning they ll no longer have to stay in costly government facilities.
Key points:
Growers will still need to abide by strict COVID management plans
Industry has welcomed the news, but wishes it was allowed sooner
| No. 334
News
Despite having few or no coronavirus infections, Pacific island nations have not been immune to the economic devastation of the pandemic, leading to a jostling for power as Australia and the US contend with China for regional influence.
By
Nic Maclellan.
Pacific islands take economic hit
As fruit ripens in Australian vineyards and orchards, growers are desperate for pickers. With the departure of tens of thousands of backpackers because of Covid-19, the expansion of Pacific seasonal work programs may provide a crucial harvest workforce for Australian farmers – and a vital source of employment in the islands, which have been economically ravaged by the pandemic.