Farmers push to bring Fair Work Ombudsman office to Bundaberg
3/8/2017
Regional agricultural sector advocates like Allan Mahoney and others are pushing for the Federal Administration to relocate the office of the Fair Work Ombudsman to Bundaberg.
Regional agricultural sector advocates like Allan Mahoney and others push for the Federal Administration to relocate the office of the Fair Work Ombudsman to Bundaberg Queensland.Mr. Mahoney together with Bree Grima, the managing director of Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers Assoc. has joined Keith Pitt (Hinkler MP) to discuss an idea that would place the government's decentralisation policies into action and return public jobs and equality back to the area.
The push followed a debate on backpacker welfare practice which emerged recently.
Mr. Mahoney was shown on ABC’s Australian Story which was focused in a campaign by Mia Ayliffe-Chung, the mother of the Home Hill victim that was murdered, who took a stance against "prison-like" conditions for backpackers under 457 visas.
He expressed his sadness over the incident that two young people were killed, he specified though that the incident was the work of a French national with mental health problems, and has no relation whatsoever to the visa program.
He also admitted in a relevant question that he doesn't entirely endorse the visa program as it needs some adjustments. He added that unethical labour hire contractors; farmers, hostels, and even other backpackers take advantage of those in need.
But despite some bad practices and issues, he said that this field isn’t only made up of bad people and problems. 400,000 backpackers are working every year in Australia, and up to 7000 daily in Bundaberg region with minimal problems.
He previously had a discussion with Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable producers about the decentralisation plans and the positive effects it could bear for the area.
Mr . Mahoney also added that every Australian region deserves to be impacted positively by fiscal development and the availability of agriculture jobs at a regional community level.
As he supported, Portfolio ministers should report back to the Cabinet by the end of the summer about which of their departments are eligible to be transferred to regional Australia.
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