O’Neill backs seasonal workers

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has directed the ministers looking after immigrations and foreign affairs to look into the seasonal workers issue.
O’Neill said PNG seasonal workers were facing visa issues with the Australian government, resulting in fewer workers engaged in fruit-picking jobs.
“Unfortunately, the requirement for Papua New Guineans to get visa arrangements to get to Australia is quite discriminatory. That I can say without any qualification,” he said.
“There have been unnecessary requirements for our citizens to fill to go (to Australia). It’s unfortunate that PNG cannot increase the number of workers. We need to engage more of Papua New Guineans in formal employment in our own country.”
O’ Neill said the labour mobility concept was introduced by PNG during the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum to encourage Papua New Guineans to go and work.
“To have 8, 000 people from the Pacific going (to Australia) is quite patronising. We need to continue to engage our foreign minister and immigration minister to stress vigorously to the Australian government to be flexible as they do to the other Pacific Island countries. Our people who want to go down and work must be given a fair opportunity to do so,” O’Neill said.
O’Neill said those who had participated in the programme had been praised by farmers and other employers.
“There is greater enthusiasm by our people to go down there and work in farms and other seasonal worker programmes.”