Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 1:47:36 to 1:54:26
The department is questioned on its consultation regarding proposed cuts to the working holiday maker program and the potential impact on the agricultural workforce.
Topics: Employment, Workplace relations
Speakers: Matt Lowe, Miss Victoria Anderson, Senator Vanessa Bleyer, Unknown Speaker
>> Thank you, Chair. Uh, Secretary, um, farmers and working holiday makers, colloquially known as backpackers, have been unfairly included in a political campaign to cut overseas migration. I expect you're aware that the Labor government has promised to very soon cut the rate of backpackers to almost 50% of what they currently are over any three-year period. [clears throat] >> Was the Department of Agriculture, etc., consulted in respect of those changes before that promise was announced?
>> Yes, Senator, we were.
>> And what did those consultations
involve? So um uh we participated in the usual way. So obviously this is led by Minister Burke's uh portfolio and the Department of Home Affairs. So um as a uh as the um various policy propositions were put our department was involved in that ultimately cabinet processes were involved and we participated in that in the usual way through coordination comments and and obviously comments on exposure drafts of submissions those sorts of things. So um we're also very aware of the issue that the industries a range of industries particularly horiculture have raised uh around the impact on their industries and we've participated uh in in a range of different consultations with uh industry representatives as well throughout that process.
>> And so did you collate recommendations in respect of the proposed proposed changes and present them to the minister for immigration or his department? So,
so normally you would do that through the coordination comment or exposure draft process when things are being considered by the cabinet and yes we did participate in that way. So it's not recommendations per se. It's the it's um usual way is for ministers to make recommendations to the cabinet and then we would have an opportunity to comment on those.
>> And so your position or the the position of the department that you represent uh has in one place its position on the proposed cuts to backpackers. So we
would definitely they would be subject to cabinet um processes and restrictions on information senator but yes we we have um in one place I guess that that's Mr. Lowe's group in our department and uh I think Mr. Blong's division is responsible for looking at workforce issues across agriculture. So yes, that that's certainly the case.
>> And so is your evidence that there's no other document that sets out what your position is on the proposed cuts to backpackers other than one that's protected by cabinet confidence?
>> I think we'd have to check, Senator. I'm sure there are other documents written over time about um you know there is a uh labor uh in agriculture. What's the workforce committee? >> Agricultural workforce. cultural workforce committee that I chair and and the minister here um also attends those meetings. There would be meetings of those minutes of those meetings and things like that. So there would be other documents relating to workforce issues in agriculture most definitely especially over time. Um if you're talking about the specifics of our participation in the most recent set of decisions, they would most likely be subject to cab. But we can take on notice if there's any other documents if you if you would like.
>> Please do now formally take that on notice. Thank you. And so what is the department's position on the cuts to the rates of backpackers for our agricultural industry?
>> So um maybe if I can add to the secretary's comments um those whole of government processes are kind of where we provide advice um into a whole of government process uh ultimately government makes a decision and that is a policy decision. Um so departments in and of themselves don't have positions if you like. um we're subject to whole of government policy and policy decisions of government we administer that policy. Um in relation to this [clears throat] particular instance um what I would what I would just I guess um in addition sort of offer is um we're cog [clears throat] cognizant of the role the working holiday maker the working holiday maker program plays for the agriculture sector. Um we're aware of a range of different purposes through which it's used. Um particularly for example for the horiculture sector but also in the grains industry as well. Um it's important for us to engage with the sector and understand how they might see some of the implications for changes to that program and it's important for us um to in in terms of having our own knowledge and information around that to feed that through to the lead agency um where that's appropriate in and that's home affairs and that's what we do. And
so did you convey that it will have a negative impact on our agricultural industry if those cuts to backpackers
proceed? Um what we would ordinarily do in any sort of policy um discussion without being wanting to comment on the specifics of um any sort of um cabinet or whole of government deliberation. Senator is what we would ordinarily do is um provide into those sorts of processes both um negative and positive impacts um and and considerations around options as well.
>> Is the department concerned about the negative impact that the cuts to the rates of backpackers are going to have on our agricultural industry across the
Um what we're doing uh Senator is um we're obviously aware of the concerns of the industry um in relation to um the changes to the working holiday maker program. Um what we are doing is participating with industry uh and with home affairs in discussions about how those changes um can be best accommodated uh to accommodate industry needs as well as accommodate the changes
you done any modeling on how the agricultural sector will be able to achieve their ordinary harvests following the substantial cuts to the rates of backpackers?
>> Well, you haven't done any modeling and and we ordinarily wouldn't Senator um on a matter that I guess kind of is is led by another agency like this. Um, one of the other challenges that we do have, Senator, is um the porcity of of workforce data in relation to the horiculture sector. Uh, it's something we have been actively seeking to work with the horiculture industry on and we think it's both in our interests and their interests to improve um the data that is pertinent to that sector and that would support modeling um work that we might be able to do in the future.