Seasonal workers

More than 1500 workers from the Pacific who were due to return home in May are still in the region, and with the season officially over there is little paid work.

The mental health and wellbeing of 117 Samoan workers employed by Johnny Appleseed in Hastings was now the company's biggest concern, operations manager Len Thompson said.

"There's depression, anxiety, and there's anger. The problem is there is no day set for their return."

Thornhill Contracting South Island manager Alistair Mitchell said he had 21 ni-Vanuatu workers heading home Friday (yesterday) who had been in New Zealand since October 2019.

"When our summer work ran out, we had to re-train them into winter jobs on the vineyard such as pruning," he said.

"The sector relies on the RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employer) workers to fill the employer gap and we are very grateful for their hard work."

Murielle Meltenoven said there are 480 workers who are not in danger or and unlikely to be brought back to Vanuatu.

Ms Meltenoven said her office was working closely with Vanuatu's High Commissioner in Canberra, Samson Fare, and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to ensure the workers were safe.

Earlier this week, the Vanuatu Daily Post reported that 48 ni-Vanuatu workers had to leave apple orchards in New South Wales that were threatened by fire.

The warning has been issued by the Commissioner of Labour Murielle Meltenoven who said unauthorised organisations purporting to handle job applications could be fined more than $US40,000.

She said such fake agents make attractive promises and enticed potential applicants to pay them cash in order to handle all their travels to either New Zealand or Australia.

Ms Meltenoven has appealed to chiefs across the country to report to her office any individual or organisations that falsely operates as labour agents.

She said a fake agent could be fined up to $US17,000.

He met with his Australian counterpart Marise Payne and the Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific Anne Ruston.

Discussions focused on improving economic relations, including the kava trade.

This led to an agreement for an outreach programme by Vanuatu leaders to indigenous communities in the Northern Territory, where Kava abuse is reportedly a problem.

Mr Regenvanu also visited farms in North Sydney last week, where he was briefed on the experiences and working environment of ni-Vanuatu under the Seasonal Workers Programme.

Kingdom Builders, consist of young men from different denominations on Vanua Lava, Banks.

These young men were given the opportunity to visit Tagabe Agriculture farm in Port Vila on Wednesday.

Piñata Farms is among Australia’s approved agricultural industry employers recruiting workers from the Pacific Islands under the Federal Government’s Seasonal Worker Program (SWP).

North Queensland operations manager Stephen Scurr said eight workers from Vanuatu were currently harvesting pineapples at the company’s Mareeba farm, double last year’s intake.

He said they had decided to recruit workers from Vanuatu, which was one of nine participating Pacific Island countries, as Piñata Farms managed a sandalwood and lime plantation there.

Local media report a mini-van, a utility van and a car collided at an intersection yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon.

Four of the seasonal workers are being treated for minor injuries and shock.

The workers were returning home from work when the accident occurred.

It’s understood the van carrying the workers tried to overtake another vehicle and collided with two other vehicles.

Yesterday’s accident in New Zealand comes less than a month after a head-on collision claimed the lives of three Ni-Vanuatu seasonal workers in Queensland.

Last month the Fiji government announced it had banned entire villages from taking part in the Recognised Seasonal Employer ccheme in New Zealand or the similar Australian scheme after complaints from the New Zealand government about misconduct and disorderly behaviour by some Fijian workers.

Now the Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Jone Usamate, has met with some of the Fijian workers in this country to " hear their views of the challenges faced."

The Daily Post newspaper said one victim was from Mele village outside Port Vila in Shefa Province while one victim is from Malo Island in Sanma Province and the third was from Ambae in Penama Province.

Two victims who survived the crash are expected to return home when their travel documents are ready.

This is the first fatal accident involving workers from Vanuatu employed in Australia under the seasonal work programme.

Photo: Wikipedia