THE Joint Standing Committee on Migration yesterday tabled its final report on its inquiry into the Working Holiday Maker program. 

"During this inquiry, the Committee received highly compelling evidence on the ongoing importance of the Working Holiday Maker program to Australia,” Committee Chair Julian Leeser MP said.

“Working Holiday Makers make a significant contribution to Australia, not only through their tourism spending, but by supplementing the seasonal workforce, and through cultural exchange,” Mr Leeser said.

"This report builds on the findings of the interim report and calls for the measures taken in response to that report to be promoted.

“Following the interim report and the measures the Government has put in place to address agricultural labour shortages, it is clear there is a need to further promote the opportunities that exist for Australians and other visa holders to help with areas of critical need.

“The Committee also made a range of recommendations on longer term changes to the program, many of which focus on expanding the program and technical matters relating to the visas.”

The Committee’s key recommendations focus on enabling Working Holiday Makers who are working in hard-to-staff regions to stay in the regions for longer, expanding the program, strengthening oversight and administration of the program, and undertaking a targeted marketing campaign to encourage Australians and other visa holders in Australia to help fill the agricultural and tourism labour shortages.

The Committee has thanked people who participated in this inquiry.

The report can be found at this link.

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AFTER TWO years in operation, a law to improve transparency and accountability around political donations will be reviewed by the Parliament’s Electoral Matters Committee.

Committee Chair Senator James McGrath said the review of the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform) Act 2018 is an opportunity for the Parliament to ensure that the law is working as it should.

"The Committee will also take the opportunity to check in on how the Act’s objectives can continue to be achieved in the most effective way while minimising red tape," Senator McGrath said.

"We are also interested in the impacts of amendments to the original bill that are relevant to charitable issue-based advocacy."

Senator McGrath noted that the Committee would examine the operation of the amendments, dealing with foreign donations; and the clarity of public guidance products issued by regulators.

The Committee is inviting written submissions addressing any or all of the terms of reference. Information on how to make a submission may be found at this link. Submissions are requested by January 29, 2021.

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THE House Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources has commenced an inquiry into Developing Australia’s Space Industry.

The Chair of the Committee, Barnaby Joyce MP, said, "Australia’s space industry is growing rapidly. The Australian Space Agency has a goal to triple the size of the sector to $12 billion and create an additional 20,000 jobs over the next decade. This inquiry will examine ways to achieve this."

Space is an industry that inspires, fascinates and excites people. Generally, rockets and astronauts come to mind when we think about the space industry, but its technology and equipment are very much a part of our day-to-day lives, for example weather forecasting and GPS technology.

There are enormous opportunities for individuals, organisations, and communities to take advantage of this growing sector, particularly in rural and regional areas, Mr Joyce said.

The Committee’s inquiry will examine the breadth of opportunities presented by Australia’s space industry and what is required to strengthen support of our domestic and international space related activities. This includes the development of space technology and equipment, commercialisation of research and development, future workforce requirements, and international collaboration.

The Committee wants to hear from interested people, organisations and agencies working in space related fields.  Submissions to the inquiry should be received by January 29, 2021. 

The terms of reference for the inquiry can be found on the Committee’s website.

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THE release of a parliamentary report into the Working Holiday Maker visa is a whitewash of a failed program, and paves the way for continued coercive labour practices and exploitation in agriculture, Unions NSW said.

Workers and their unions have repeatedly blown the whistle on the deep problems with the scheme, which funnels tens of thousands of backpackers into farm work in return for an extension of their visa. There have been widespread reports of abuse, sexual harassment and exploitation under the scheme, with workers reporting being paid as little a $2.50 per hour.  

“The joint committee on migration has missed an opportunity to stamp out exploitation with the release of such a weak report,” said Mark Morey, Secretary of Unions NSW.

“The key problem at the heart of this program is that all power rests with the employer to sign off on whether the backpacker has performed the necessary hours to have their visa extended. This creates an utterly lopsided arrangement, leaving backpackers ripe for exploitation.

“This committee report has done nothing more than tinker at the edges. The truth is that this visa should be abolished. If the agriculture sector can’t afford to pay Australian wages it needs to completely rethink the economics of the sector. No industry has the right to subsidise itself through cheap, exploited labour.

“It is unconscionable to erect and maintain a secondary labour market, where the origin of your passport determines whether you can enforce your labour rights," Mr Morey said.

“Both the Government and industry know what the problems are. Another round of navel gazing through inquiries and sub committees won’t resolve the problem. This is the same Government that failed to provide any meaningful support for temporary migrants by excluding them from JobKeeper or JobSeeker during the worst economic crisis in a generation.”

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