In response to a major downturn in seasonal agricultural workers in Australia due to COVID-19, the federal budget announced $17.4 million to encourage workers to take up the gloves.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The money will fund up to $6000 towards a relocation rebate for workers who move to a regional area to take up short-term agricultural work.
To be eligible, the job must be for at least six weeks, and 120 hours.
As an added incentive, workers who earn more than $15,000 in the industry would be classed as "independent".
In gaining independence, school leavers would be able to get on the front foot in a potential application for a government study subsidy.
A $300 per fortnight payment available to those on the Job Seeker payment is also part of the package.
The payment is designed to incentivise job seekers to undertake farm work on top of their government payment.
Will it help Tasmanian farmers?
Fruit Growers Tasmania Chief Executive Peter Cornish said the budget announcement was "a bit of a mixed mag".
While Mr Cornish believed the $6000 was a good incentive, he said "the devil will be in the details".
Mr Cornish was also concerned about the $300 boost for Job Seekers.
Fruit Growers Tasmania was hoping the incentive would take on a different structure and provide an income credit of $10,000, offering more incentive to JobSeekers.
"The low light is the budget didn't provide much for Job Seekers," Mr Cornish said.
Jemma Mackinnon from Mountford Berries said the $6000 was a generous figure and was a start in luring people to seasonal work.
Ms Mackinnon said the incentive may be particularly helpful for workers who chase the seasons, or people who previously had planned to travel.
"It could work especially for getting people from Queensland, for example, to relocate into Tassie. Or those who may have wanted to travel but now can't," Ms Mackinnon said.
Mountford Berries takes on several keen workers who are university students already.
"We have some who come from uni, and they know they'll only be working three months, so they go like a bat out of hell," Ms Mackinnon said.
Prior to the budget announcement, and knowing they needed to incentivise workers from somewhere, Ms Mackinnon was visiting schools in the area to talk to school leavers about considering farm work as an alternative to a gap year.
Ms Mackinnon also questioned the incentive of the $300 Job Seeker payment and said it does not quite hit the mark.
"[People think] 'do I go out and get another $300, or do I just not do that?'" Ms Mackinnon said.
