Get migration settings right for the sustainability of regional Australia

Media Releases

Get migration settings right for the sustainability of regional Australia.

Thursday, 22 August 2024

With job ads in regional Australia growing at three times that of urban areas*, Cattle Australia (CA) is urging a bipartisan effort from Federal Parliamentarians to ensure any overhaul of the migration system results in the fast, efficient and fair provision of skilled workers for the regions.

CA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Chris Parker, said with the Federal Government’s Review of Regional Migration Settings nearing completion, it cannot afford to overlook the need for a skilled workforce to support a strong and sustainable inland Australia.

“Agriculture and tourism are huge contributors to the economy and need to be able to source workers. Eight of Australia’s top 10 exports are commodities or produce from our regions, and much of the fresh food we eat comes from regional Australia,” Dr Parker said.

“Visitors spent more than $79.9 billion on regional tourism in 2022-23, and both of these critically important industries need the Government to get migration settings right for regional Australia.

“CA supports a purpose-built agriculture visa, that acknowledges our unique needs, safeguards workers against exploitation, minimises administrative and financial burdens, and attracts people who want to work on farms.”

CA strongly opposes any attempt by the Federal Government to alter or restrict the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) program, which provides WHMs the option to complete 88 days’ work in specific regional areas and roles to extend their working visa for a second year.

A report by Aither released this month estimates that if the 88-day incentive was removed and 20,000 WHMs no longer ventured out of the major cities, it would cost regional economies more than 1000 jobs and $203 million per year.

At an industry level, the horticulture sector alone estimates the absence of this workforce would cost $6.3 billion and 127,000 jobs along the supply chain.

“WHMs like backpackers make up 44 per cent of horticulture’s workforce but they’re also critically important to the red meat (26pc), grains (31pc), and cotton (25pc) industries during peak times, and they spend what they earn in regional communities,” Dr Parker said.

“Currently, 57pc of farmers are struggling to recruit labour. A survey earlier this year found farmers would change what they grow or even quit the industry if their access to overseas workers like backpackers is reduced.”

At a time when agricultural producers are expected to transition to a net zero economy while continuing ‘business as usual’, Dr Parker said a considered, intelligent response from the Federal Government would be critical to ensuring sustainability of the industry.

“We’re facing a decline in skilled and essential workers and an ageing population in regional areas, and we’re expected to transition to a net zero economy while continuing to boost agricultural productivity,” Dr Parker said.

“Most of the new jobs and critical infrastructure required to make this transition will be in regional Australia, but we can’t adapt to these changes if we can’t access the workers we need just to keep producing the food and fibre the world requires.

“We are hoping sanity will prevail when the final report of the Review of Regional Migration Settings is released.”

ENDS

*Regional Australia Institute, 2022, Regional Jobs – The Big Skills Challenge, p9 (taken from https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/reports-and-pubs/PDFs/supporting_strong_and_sustainable_regions.pdf)

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

Hayley Kennedy
hayley.kennedy@bluehillagency.com.au
0488 021 154

Tim Vetter
tim.vetter@bluehillagency.com.au
0439 681 793

Garry Edwards

Managing Director and CEO, Maureen Pastoral Company

Garry was born and raised on a commercial beef cattle property south of Gloucester in New South Wales. Garry has personal cattle production interests in this region today as well as his corporate role as the Managing Director and CEO of AAM, a business that has a significant focus in continuing to expand beyond our cattle production interests in Central West NSW, near Forbes and Bective Station near Tamworth, NSW.

Garry has over 25 years’ experience in large scale livestock production management within the Australian agribusiness sector. His experience spans across a vast array of areas of the agricultural supply chain and includes managing businesses involved in livestock breeding, growing and finishing, financing of agricultural projects, implementation of precision agriculture practices, investigation and implementation of sustainability and innovation initiatives and developing and operating integrated agricultural businesses.

In 2007, Garry founded the company that today is AAM, commencing the development, operation and management of a portfolio of agricultural assets valued at $887 million and he remains the major shareholder of AAM.

Garry has a unique skill set across multiple facets of the grass-fed cattle production supply chain, from production through to finishing, as well as a unique perspective of the challenges facing all grass-fed producers within Australia through his involvement in the modernisation and development of livestock marketing facilities throughout Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

George King

Managing Director, The Whitney Pastoral Co and Manager, "Coombing Park"

George is a seventh generation Australian farmer, currently managing his family property which they have held since 1880. George operates an Angus breeding and finishing operation joining 1,500 cows per year, with a low-cost model turning off steers at feeder weights and direct sales of females.

George has long been on a regenerative agriculture path as it was the only way he could see to renovate their property 25 years ago without employed equity or working capital, which at the time they didn’t have. He continues with this model as it provides outstanding cost containments, continued production and profitability.

George is married with four (4) children, Harry 24, Emma 22, Dave 15 and Tom 13. He also enjoys flying and has his pilot’s license.

George is also a Founding Director of The Wellness House and a Founding Director of ONFARM CO. He has a strong voluntary involvement with his community including as the NSW Rural Fire Services Senior Dept Capt. and Chairman of St Paul’s Carcoar.

Bryce Camm

Grazier, camm agricultual group

Bryce Camm hails from Dalby in Queensland’s Darling Downs region where he oversees his family’s company Camm Agricultural Group; an integrated beef and cropping enterprise with interests across Queensland.

Bryce has been CEO of the group for the past eight years. Prior to that he was the Manager of the group’s award winning Wonga Plains Feedlot for eight years where he oversaw the operation triple in size. Growing up on “Natal Downs” Station in north Queensland Bryce undertook a dual degree in Business Administration and Communications at Bond University and is a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program as well as the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course.

Bryce is currently the Chairman of Beef Australia Ltd and the Immediate Past President of the Australian Lot Feeders Council, as well as a previous Director of the Red Meat Advisory Council.

Elke Cleverdon

Owner and Director, Cleverdon Agriculture - Grass Fed Black Angus

Elke is an experienced non-executive director in the agriculture and customer-owned banking sector with a passion for member-centric organisations. She brings a grower perspective, coupled with her genuine drive to elevate the industry through innovation. She was selected to the National Farmers’ Federation ‘Diversity in Ag Leadership’ 2022, among 12 women nationally.

Elke has a broad background in the agricultural industry as a producer and rural financial coach across regional NSW, challenging business models and production systems for growers across a wide range of commodities. Elke has been a joint owner and director of a broadacre family cattle property at Harden, NSW, since 1993. Cleverdon Ag raises and trades black Angus cattle.

Elke brings a wealth of financial, risk management and governance experience. Her current non-executive director roles include Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA), Murrumbidgee Health (NSW Health) and SWS Bank (a regional financial institution in NSW).

Some of her many strengths include a strong focus on strategy, risk and a triple bottom line while chairing large-scale audit and risk committees.

Elke is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow CPA, and holds a Master of Business Administration focused in marketing, finance, business strategy and leadership. Her critical thinking and business acumen after 16 years’ experience as an executive in customer-owned banking and the past eight years as a Rural Financial Coach, makes her an ideal candidate seeking to advance producers’ long-term best interests in a fair and strong supply chain.

David Foote

Director - Tandarra Partners

Nominated by: Peter Hall, Troy Setter, Bryce Camm, David Hill, Adam Coffey

For the past 45 years, David has held rural property management, executive and senior management positions across all mainland states in areas of; beef cattle & sheep breeding, growing and lot feeding, meat retailing, small seed growing, irrigated fodder, and the further processing and exporting of primary products such as meat, grain and fodder.

His export experiences which started in 1989 included a role with Stanbroke Pastoral Company to help develop Stanbroke’ s Live cattle export program. Additionally, David managed the integration of Bottle Tree feedlot grain feeding in the production system while developing and launching their now globally recognised Diamantina beef brand.

David has been in a leadership role at the Lee Family’s, Australian Country Choice group of Companies since 1999 and progressed in that time from General Manager Properties & Livestock to Group Managing Director until stepping back in December 2020 from a full time role to a strategic advisory and board role.

Headquartered in Brisbane and employing over 1,400 staff across 42 operations, Australian Country Choice (ACC) operates Australia’s largest vertically integrated beef supply chain; encompassing cattle breeding, cattle growing and feedlotting to supply its integrated food processing facility in Brisbane that incorporates beef slaughter, beef boning, value-adding and case ready beef packing.

ACC’s cattle property portfolio of around 4 million acres in Queensland & NSW encompasses operations from the Barkly Tableland, CQ coalfields, Carnarvon ranges, Augathella, Blackall, Roma, and Moonie districts of Queensland, with a carrying capacity of 300,000 head. of cattle to support the Company’s 3 feedlots.

Additionally, David represents Agricultural & Cattle industry interests in his role as; Non-Government member Australia Indonesia Red Meat & Cattle Partnership, member SmartSat CRC, member Cattle Australia -Policy Council, member Australian Meat Industry Council -China & Halal Trade Groups, Chair Workplace Health & Safety Queensland -Rural Industry Sector Standing Committee, Deputy Chair Laguna Bay Pastoral investment committee and Board Member lnventia Genetic Technologies (IGT).

Away from work David has a small cattle property in the Mt Kilcoy (Qld) district running Charolais & Charbray breeders to the delight of his four grandchildren.

David wishes to continue into a second term to help build a strong and successful Cattle Australia to represent the interest of all cattle producers

Member Login

Feedback

Get migration settings right for the sustainability of regional Australia.

About us

News

FAQs

Contact us

Search.