22 Sep 2017

New Aust Pacific labour scheme a positive development

From , 5:03 am on 22 September 2017

The Australian government is to allow more Pacific Islanders into the country under a new labour scheme.

Currently thousands of Pacific Islanders get short-term visas to work for periods of about six months in the horticulture and viticulture sector, but the new Pacific Labour Scheme will allow people to work in other industries and for substantially longer.

The Australian National University's Development Policy Centre's Matthew Dornan says the scheme is initially limited to 2,000 workers from Nauru, Tuvalu and Kiribati, starting in July next year.

He told Don Wiseman that the government has indicated that other countries will be brought into the scheme and that the numbers will be increased.

Pacific Islands workers have been described as invaluable to New Zealand's horticulture and viticulture industries.

Pacific Islands workers have been described as invaluable to New Zealand's horticulture and viticulture industries. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades