Mr Hannan mentioned how many speakers at the event talked about innovation, new technologies or robotics, which are considered relevant for the future for production in horticulture, but that, when talking to growers, the biggest concern, “without a shadow of a doubt, over 12 months, is labour,” as producers often worry “how they will be able to harvest [their] crops.” There are also aspects such as “the review of the Horticulture Award, which the Fair Work Commission has to do every four years, which is a threat in the sense that there are additions that the ICTU and IWU have advocated for which could really hurt our farms.”
The point is that “the labour force itself is a challenge,” and while many would prefer to hire local workers, the conditions are not ideal. “It is an industry marked by seasonality, dependent on the weather, and where the work is hard.” There are farms where the working conditions and accommodation are great, “but backpackers are still necessary,” and the backpacker tax could become a deterrent. In this sense, “we would also like the whole agricultural visa process simplified, and then, of course, there is also the dreaded Labour Hire Companies, [an area in which] we really need to strengthen the legislation.”
To address some of these issues in Queensland, Growcom has set up a Rural Jobs and Skills Alliance, which is really trying “to connect the dots associated with what sorts of labour, jobs and skills are needed, what sort of training needs to be taken to get there and where are the people that can go on that journey,” states Mr Hannan.
Naturally, it is also worth taking into account that there are big changes happening in terms of technological development and automation, so it is not strange to wonder what the labour force will look like in the future, but “the absolute necessity right now is for agriculture to promote itself as a viable career choice and give a good image to the community. We need to change and improve the profile of the jobs we’ve got on the farms,” affirms Mr Hannan.
Operating and servicing all the new bits of technology entails a number of emerging challenges, since “these jobs revolve around technology transformation or innovation.” The good news is that, while enrolment hit a low in 2012, with 900, in 2016 the figure climbed back to 1,500, “which gives us a reason for optimism, but we can’t be complaisant,” he concludes, reporting that Growcom is planning an Innovation Coach in July to do exactly that job.