Australia is increasingly eager to welcome temporary migrant workers from the Pacific into farm and food processing jobs. But a NSW parliamentary inquiry into modern slavery is set to examine the significant risks these workers can face.
“For that to happen, you know it broke us, the whole feeling of shame, anger, despair, and all that sort of stuff, and not knowing what to do as well, that was the biggest thing, that we don't know what to do.”He grew up in Fiji and came to Australia in the late 1980s to work in agriculture, hoping to send money home to his family.“Back in those days, we were pretty isolated, so there's no mobile phones, you know.
The Australian Pacific Labour Migration Scheme - or PALM - is a particular focus for the people working to prevent exploitation. Jonathon Cook represents many of these workers, as the National Organiser for agriculture, horticulture and pastoral workers at the Australian Workers Union. “Some of these workers that I deal with at the moment that are coming from, at the moment, are working for $800 a week, they just come here into Australia and $600 of that is being deducted and they expected to live on $200 per week to fund their family here themselves here and fund their families back in the countries that they come from.”
Commissioner Cockayne also heard from female workers who became pregnant and received no antenatal care because of their vulnerable situation.
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