PNG seasonal workers return to Australia

A GROUP of seasonal workers returned to Australia last week for a second trip.
Six from the first group were commended by the PNG seasonal workers  programme recently, as Australia started expanding the work force from here.
A statement from the programme office said PNG seasonal workers were climbing the ranks in horticulture industry with their skills and experience.
“This season, the Tree Minders has recruited the men to be supervisors in some sections and use various machines.
“The rates on the use of machines are much higher than in the few years of seasonal work,” the programme office said.
“The men, who were first “exports” to Australia in Feb 2011, were invited to return based on their performance and the quality of work they produced on the farm.                                                                                           
“Their recruitment brings the total number of seasonal workers to Australia to 95.”      
The group left the country last week for Robinvale Farms in Victoria, with another 16 set to depart for New Zealand under its recognised seasonal employee (RSE) programme.                                                                                            With guidance from Strengthening Pacific Partnership (SPP) and RSE scoping team experts, Prof Richard
Badford and Lafaefe Lupo, the PNG seasonal workers’ programme is aimed to provide more employment for unskilled Papua New Guineans.                                                                                                             
Meanwhile, Labour and Industrial Relations Minister Mark Maipakai  said the programme corresponded well with human capital development as set in the PNG Vision 2050, which aimed to create three million employment opportunities by 2020.