Berries Australia welcomes the opportunity to make a submission into the review of regional migration settings. Berries, like most other horticulture commodities, are predominantly grown in regional areas.  Most of the people working in the berry industry live, work and spend in regional areas, so the berry industry is both a contributor to and beneficiary of strong and sustainable regions.

Berries Australia notes the breadth of the review and the implications for regional areas however this submission will focus specifically on the provisions relating to the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa and in particular the current visa extension obligations, as working holiday makers are critical to the viability of the berry industry.

Berries are a high-value and highly perishable product. Due to their inherent properties, almost all berries are handpicked here in Australia and globally. The dependence on hand picking and the time-sensitive nature of the product means that berries are particularly reliant on a mobile workforce that can be deployed quickly and then moved to another location.

The term ‘seasonal worker’ is problematic in so much as there are varied times throughout the year that workers are needed, which include preparation as well as just picking and packing.