Labour shortages in Murray Valley horticulture : a survey of growers' needs and attitudes

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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/5610

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Title: Labour shortages in Murray Valley horticulture : a survey of growers' needs and attitudes
Author(s): Mares, Peter
Abstract: In recent years there has been extensive media reporting on the issue of rural labour shortages, particularly for seasonal work in horticulture. In these news stories, growers complain about lost export opportunities, about fruit left to rot on trees or vegetables ploughed back into the soil, and about the disruptive impact of sudden raids by government officials searching for illegal immigrants. The common refrain is that there is ‘good money’ to be made in fruit picking and other seasonal pursuits, but that Australians no longer want to take on these jobs because they are seen as too hot, too hard and too dirty. The growers’ difficulties in attracting labour have intensified calls for a new temporary work visa to allow overseas workers to enter Australia and take up seasonal employment. [Executive Summary]
Publication type: Working paper
Research centre: Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences. Institute for Social Research
Publication year: 2006
Keyword(s): Labour shortages; Seasonal employment; Migrant labour; Fruit growing industry; Horticulture; Victoria; Attitudes; Illegal immigrants; Statistics; Opinion surveys; Questionnaires
Publisher: Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology
Publisher URL: http://www.sisr.net/cag/projects/pacific.htm
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