Have Your Say

PALM SCHEME CHANGES ANOTHER LABOR KOWTOW TO ITS UNION MASTERS

6 June 2023

The Albanese Government’s union-backed reforms to the PALM Scheme are a huge threat to farmers, consumers, Pacific workers and our foreign relations.

The Government has completely mishandled the changes to the highly successful and popular scheme. Farmers are now threatening to boycott the program after Labor changed the PALM Scheme rules, forcing those from nine Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste to be paid a minimum of 30 hours a week, every week.

The changes to the scheme were made without adequate consultation with stakeholders and the adverse reaction shows the Government needs to go back to the drawing board.

Established by the Coalition, the PALM Scheme has been embraced by industry and Pacific Island communities alike as a program that has efficiently improved labour shortages, increased financial opportunities for workers and strengthened ties between Pacific countries and Australia.

The changes, which Labor is ramming through without warranted consideration and attention, have the potential to cause major disruptions to the scheme which would see an increase of labour shortages, a breakdown in Pacific relations and increased costs being passed onto the consumer at the grocery store.

This is another typically poor Labor policy dictated by its militant union masters.

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