A new research project on backpacking and seasonal farm work in Queensland aims to highlight the importance of migrant workers to regional communities as more than just a labour source.
Turbulent Times: The State of Backpacking and Seasonal Farm Work in Australia is the work of Dr Kaya Barry, a senior lecturer at Griffith University and research fellow, and colleagues Rafael Azeredo and Ari Balle-Bowness.
The three-year project is funded by the Australia Research Council and is looking at the future of seasonal farm workers, backpackers and other people on temporary visas.
Dr Barry said seasonal workers from the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme - which caters to nine Pacific Island nations - helped fill the void in the horticulture industry following the pandemic border closures from March 2020 to late 2021.
Pre-pandemic, backpackers - or Working Holiday Maker visa holders - accounted for the majority of migrant farm labour.
The preliminary report provides a snapshot of the issues that emerged during the pandemic and the ongoing impacts and obstacles faced during 2022, a year since Australia's borders reopened and migration resumed.
Some 44 interviews were conducted with stakeholders across industry, government and community who are directly involved with the facilitation of and support for migrant farm workers, predominantly in Far North Queensland and the Wide Bay/Burnett region.
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Dr Barry said she hoped the project would generate broader awareness of the importance of farm workers, beyond filling jobs.
"The COVID-19 pandemic impacts have sparked a rethinking of what kinds of workers the Australian horticultural industry needs and can support," Dr Barry said.
"The extreme labour shortages seen in 2021 and throughout 2022 demonstrate the ongoing reliance that Australian horticulture has on migration schemes, such as the PALM and WHM.
"I want regional communities to understand that migrant workers are not taking Aussie jobs, they are actually part of a community. They live in this place with us."
Dr Barry said the report presented findings in three key areas.
This included the impact of disruptions caused by the pandemic border closures and health restrictions on the businesses supporting migrant workers.
"It also highlighted the key role that accommodation providers play in the day-to-day management of migrant farm workers' experiences, and how this is overlooked," she said.
Dr Barry said cultural shifts were occurring in regional communities due to a shift from backpackers to Pacific Island workers, with the findings showing the urgent need for Pacific-led information and support services, and better cultural awareness and communication between workers and local communities.
The project continues this year, with Dr Barry and her team to interview workers, both in Far North Queensland and the Wide Bay/Burnett region.
The third and final year of the project will focus on community engagement including exhibitions in regional communities and workshops.
