A property owned by a northern Tasmanian mayor is the latest seasonal worker accommodation in the state to come under fire from unions over what they call squatter-like conditions.
The ABC spoke to seasonal workers from Tonga who said they were not happy with the living conditions they faced in Tasmania when they arrived in November."When I arrived I didn't like it, but I don't have a choice. I'm coming here to work hard for my children and my family," one said.
They expressed frustration that the problems are only being fixed now that the buildings have come under scrutiny.They wanted to speak up to warn people back in Tonga what they were getting themselves into by joining the Seasonal Worker Program. "We want them to know the truth. People just pay for the airfares and come over here because they don't have the information they need," the worker said.
A spokesperson from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, which manages the Seasonal Worker Program, said the program as a whole is subject to an active investigation, but would not say if the Burnie property was part of it. They said all employers were to ensure accommodation was safe, secure and compliant, and the Australian Government had zero tolerance for the exploitation of workers.Owen Pacific Workforce has been contacted for comment.
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