PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
WORKERSREGIONAL TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION SUPPORT SCHEME
1304. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
I refer to Legislative Council
questions without notice 1029, 972, 812 and 750.
(1) How many
individuals have applied to the primary industries workers regional travel and
accommodation support scheme to date, and how many individuals have been
successful in receiving funding to date regardless of the number of
applications made?
(2) What is the total spend of this
program to date?
(3) Have any
complaints or issues been raised specifically about the program; and, if yes,
and in the interests of transparency, would the minister please provide
details?
(4) Given the
impending changes to WA's border, has the Department of Primary
Industries and Regional Development
considered tapping into interstate workforces; and, if no, will the minister
commit to doing so?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
(1) Between 5
October 2020 and 11 November 2020, there were 293 applications to the scheme.
Of these, 75 applications totalling $92 450
have been paid, nine applications have been approved with payment pending,
147 are awaiting assessment and/or employment
verification, 55 have been declined and seven have been withdrawn.
(2) The total spend is $95 450 as at
11 November 2020.
(3) There have been no complaints about the scheme.
However, there has been four requests received from individuals to review the
decision to decline their application, with two upheld and two rejected. I must
say that some people are having a bit of a lend. I am advised that farmers with
kids who are coming back to the family
farm from boarding school are seeking to utilise the scheme. I urge people to
deal fairly on these matters.
(4) Interstate workers have always been able to apply
through the G2G process to enter the state, and we have been
facilitating that movement when possible. It is important to note that seasonal
workers are in short supply right around Australia.
We
published new guidelines to extend some eligibility criteria following some
representations by growers. We are extending eligibility to applicants
relocating from interstate. We are allowing working holiday visa holders to
claim the travel allowance component only. Previously, they were not able to
access the scheme at all, but Carnarvon growers in particular were very keen
that they be able to offer that to people relocating from Perth. We are also
allowing approved employers of visa holders already in Australia to claim the
travel allowance component only if these workers are required to change work
assignments with the approval of the
commonwealth, so if someone is going from mangoes in the Northern Territory to
mangoes in Kununurra, they will be eligible.
In addition, location-based social media marketing to interstate workers
will commence from 16 November 2020.