A Samoan community leader in Australia says the Samoan government has known for a long time about concerns over the treatment of their seasonal workers in Australia but it has 'not done much' to address them.
This week Samoa's Minister for Commerce, Industry and Labour, Leatinu'u Wayne So'oialo, tabled the Labour and Employment Relations Amendment Bill 2022 which is aimed at improving working conditions for seasonal workers in Australia and New Zealand.
The government also recently suspended flights scheduled to take more seasonal workers to both countries.
Lieta Sauiluma-Duggan, says the Samoan government are well aware of workers experiencing exploitation and slave-like conditions having put forward submissions to Australia as far back as 2019.
She spoke with RNZ Pacific reporter Susana Suisuiki.
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The Samoan government has been contacted for comment on this story.
