Fiji examines Australian seasonal worker programme
The Fiji Employment Minister is in Australia to seek an expansion of its seasonal worker programme and follow up on claims of worker exploitation.
Transcript
The Fiji Employment Minister is in Australia to seek an expansion of its seasonal worker programme and follow up on claims of worker exploitation.
There are currently between 150 and 180 Fijians involved in Australia's programme.
Semi Koroilavesau told Koro Vaka'uta what the government delegation is doing in Australia.
SEMI KOROILAVESAU: Our trip to Australia is basically based on having discussion with the Australian government, visiting all the employers and employees that are employed in the seasonal work programme.
KORO VAKA'UTA: You mentioned that you're checking up on the programme, and obviously you would have seen the reports coming out of Australia of exploitation of Pacific Island workers, and Fijian workers included in that. Is that something that is going to be an issue of discussion?
SK: I haven't seen any report; it's basically what has been reported in the social media, and also the media in Fiji. I have not received any official report from Australia, and the fact is that I'm visiting all the farms that employ our seasonal workers from Fiji. I will have discussions both with the employers and the workers that are there now. I will also have discussions with the Australian government in general on the potential to send more workers from Fiji to be employed under the seasonal work programme.
KV: The Fiji government hasn't been appealed to or contacted in terms of exploitation cases and that sort of thing?
SK: The understanding between the Fijian government and the Australian government, while workers are in Australia they will handle everything that is related to our workers in Australia. We have heard about the reports that are floating around, and we have asked for an update. We have not received that update but our visit is still going ahead. And I presume that we will discuss these issues while we are there.
KV: In terms of an expansion, obviously Australia recently expanded the programme to include sectors like cattle and sheep. What kind of further expansion would you be looking at?
SK: Australia has removed the cap which is basically the numbers and the expansion of where our workers could be employed in. And that is welcome news to Fiji. We were basically trying to find more positions and slots for our Fijian workers because this programme, Fiji has concentrated it to rural, isolated areas around Fiji where there is no source of employment or commercial activities around the rural areas. That's basically what we're looking at and we are hoping to achieve more numbers.
KV: Over one-fifty at the moment. How many more can you provide?
SK: Well we have about five hundred in our pool. We've got substantial numbers here. My discussion is that we should try and at least have about five hundred people who have already passed the test and are in the pool to go across to Australia and New Zealand.
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