The Honourable Mark Furner, Qld Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities, Media Release, 24 August 2021

The Federal Government’s re-announcement of an agricultural workers visa has done little to provide clarity for industry on how extra workers will safely enter Queensland.

Queensland Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said the visa had first been announced by the Federal Government three years ago, but there were still no details available.

“The Commonwealth has just 38 days to provide us with the details and get arrangements in place to meet their own September deadline. We know they are great at announcing things, but not so good on delivering,” Mr Furner said.

“This agricultural visa has had more announcements than a Johnny Farnham farewell tour.

“It’s time for the Federal Government to actually deliver for Queensland farmers, starting with details on how this visa system will work.”

In interviews about the new agricultural visas, Federal Minister David Littleproud acknowledged that the Federal Government still needed to have bilateral conversations with south-east Asian nations before the new visas system could be up and running.

“Queensland has led the nation with more than 3100 Pacific workers safely working in Queensland agricultural businesses, including many who have safety worked while undertaking quarantine on-farm, with hundreds more on their way.

“Our number one goal is to keep Queensland communities safe from COVID-19, because you can’t have a healthy agricultural industry unless you get the health response right.”

Mr Furner welcomed the commitment to a quarantine facility at Pinkenba but said the Federal Government could do more to create quarantine capacity for agricultural workers.

“We and our industry stakeholders have been urging the Federal Government to support a regional quarantine facility at Wellcamp but this has fallen on deaf ears,” Mr Furner said.

“In the meantime, we have been strong supporters of industry-led quarantine facilities with 26 sites established within COVID-safe guidelines across the state through a proactive partnership with industry.

“Agriculture is an essential industry and a vital part of Queensland’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan. We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Queensland farmers.”