MIGRATION is valued highly by farmers and business people alike in the Sunraysia and Swan Hill regions – indeed without it, the critical workforce issues we experience would be dire.
This week, as deputy chair of the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Migration, I brought the committee to Robinvale.
Here they were able to meet local growers and hear about the successes, the challenges and the issues in relation to bringing in migrant workers.
First-hand experiences such as this are incredibly valuable. The committee receives many submissions on paper, but to truly get a feel for the importance of migration sometimes going on-farm and being able to ask questions directly to stakeholders is a valuable opportunity.
The tour comes as part of the Migration, Pathway to Nation Building inquiry, which broadly examines how migration contributes to nation-building, cultural diversity and social cohesion, and acts as a strategic enabler of our vibrant economy and socially sustainable communities.
This inquiry is vitally important to investigate the role of migration in nation building.
I know from my travels across Mallee, particularly in the river communities of Mildura, Robinvale and Swan Hill, how migrant labour has helped build and sustain Australia’s horticulture sector.
The Mallee is home to about 74 per cent of Australia’s almond production, 70 per cent of table grapes, 57 per cent of nectarines, and 19 per cent of oranges. Most are grown in the regions mentioned.
Growers from these areas have been dealing with workforce shortages for years, which continues to create anxiety and uncertainty for them at harvest time.
If workers cannot be found, harvests are at risk of falling to the ground, resulting in losses in the billions – which highlights the importance of the inquiry.
Migrants come to Australia with a wide range of life experiences, knowledge, skills and unique perspectives. We need to think how we can enable migrants to bring these attributes and to continue to contribute to the growth and resilience of the nation.
