Australian farmers heavily reliant on backpacker labour are asking for an in-depth examination into the controversial ‘backpacker tax’ as a Federal Government review into the tax begins this week.

Originally set to be introduced during the 2016 federal election campaign, the proposed legislation, which increases the tax take by removing the tax-free threshold for non-resident taxpayers, was put on hold with the Federal government saying it wanted to conduct a review into the tax which was opposed by crop growers.

The delay in introducing the tax was criticised as an attempt by the Liberal party to win votes.

Those against the tax believe it will drive the overseas fruit pickers away as they will have to pay tax on any amount of money they earn.

AUSVEG, the national body representing Australia’s 9,000 vegetable growers, is calling for the Federal Government to listen to the concerns of every industry reliant on overseas workers.

“We’re pleased that the Government has finally commenced this review, and we hope that they listen to the concerns of every industry that relies on this critical labour source over the coming weeks,” said Brooke-Barnett, a spokesperson for AUSVEG.

“It would be incredibly disappointing to see Australia’s growers suffer as a result of a short-sighted policy decision that failed to acknowledge the flow-on effects of having backpackers live and work in regional Australia,” Brooke-Barnett said.

The Australian Fruit Picking Industry

Since 2009, the Seasonal Workers Programs has been in operation within Australia to help address issues of farmers not being able to find seasonal fruit pickers. The program encouragers overseas workers to come to Australia by giving them the opportunity to earn money picking fruit.

According to the National Farmers’ Federation, as of May 2015, almost 3,500 seasonal workers had been placed in horticultural jobs in 50 different government areas.

Despite the reliance on overseas fruit pickers, over the past several years, a number of cases of mistreatment of overseas fruit pickers have been reported.

Australian regions reliant on fruit pickers

Northern Territory

Harvest Dates	Main Crops	Locations
Mar – Oct	Melons ( Various)	Darwin & Katherine
Oct & Nov	Mangos (both picking & packing)	Darwin & Katherine
Year Round	Citrus	Darwin & Katherine
Year Round	Bananas	Darwin & Katherine
Year Round	Asian vegetables	Darwin
Year Round	Wildflowers	Darwin

Western Australia

 

Harvest Dates	Main Crops	Locations
Jan – Mar	Grapes	Margaret River, Mt Barker, Swan Valley
Mar – May	Apples & Pears	Manjimup, Donnybrook, Pemberton
Mar – Oct	Scalloping & Prawning	Carnarvon
May – Sep	Rockmelons & Zucchini	Kununurra
Apr – Nov	Melons	Coorow
Jun – Dec	Tomatoes & Melons	Carnarvon
Jul – Aug	Bananas	Kununurra
Jul – Dec	Wildflowers	Muchea, Coorow
Oct – Jan	Mangoes	Kununurra
All Year	Fishing	Broome
Nov – Jun	Rock Lobster	Dongara, Geraldton, Broome,Freemantle , Kalbarri

South Australia

Harvest Dates	Main Crops	Locations
Jan – Mar	Dried Fruits	Riverland
Feb – Apr	Apples & Pears	Adelaide Hills
Feb – Apr	Peaches & Grapes	Riverland
Feb – Apr	Grapes	Barossa Valley, Southern Vales
Feb – Aug	Brussels Sprouts	Adelaide Hills
Jun – Aug	Oranges	Riverland
Jun – Sep	Pruning	Riverland
Sep – Jan	Oranges	Riverland
Oct – Feb	Strawberries	Adelaide Hills
Dec – Feb	Apricots	Riverland

Tasmania

 

Harvest Dates	Main Crops	Locations
Mar – May	Apples	West Tamar,Hunter Valley, Tasman Peninsula
Dec – Jan	Various Fruits	Kingborough, Derwent Valley, Channel District, Huon
Feb – Apr	Grapes	Tamar Valley, Huon
Mar & Apr	Hops	Devenport, Scottsdale, New Norfolk
Jan & Feb	Scallop Splitting	Bicheno

Victoria

Harvest Dates	Main Crops	Locations
Jan – Apr	Pears / Peaches / Apples	Cobram, Invergordon, Kyabram,Ardmona, Shepparton,Tatura
Jan – Apr	Tomatoes	Kyabram,Echuca, Rochester, Elmore, Ardmona,Shepparton, Tatura
Jan – Apr	Tobacco	Ovens, King & Kiewa Valleys
Feb & Mar	Grapes	Swan Hill, Robinvale, Sunraysia Area,Lake Boga, Nyah West
Sep – Nov	Asparagus	Dalmore
Oct – Dec	Strawberries	Silvan
Nov – Feb	Cherries / Berries	Silvan, Wandin

New South Wales

Harvest Dates	Main Crops	Locations
Jan – Mar	Stone Fruit	Young
Feb & Mar	Grapes	Leeton, Griffith
Feb & Mar	Pears	Orange
Feb & Mar	Grapes	Hunter Valley
Feb & Mar	Prunes	Young
Feb – Apr	Apples	Orange
Mar & Apr	Grapes	Tumburumba
Mar – May	Apples	Batlow
Mar – Jun	Cotton Picking	Narrabri, Mooree
Sep – Oct	Asparagus	Gundagai
Sep – Dec	Asparagus	Cowra
Sep – Apr	Oranges	Griffith
Nov & Dec	Cherries	Young, Orange
Nov – Apr	Oranges	Lecton
Dec & Jan	Onions	Griffith
Dec – Mar	Stone Fruit	Tumut, Batlow
Dec – Apr	Blueberries	Tumbarumba

Queensland

Harvest Dates	Main Crops	Locations
Dec-Jan	Sugar & Bananas	Innisfail, Tully
Feb – Mar	Apples & Pears	Stanthorpe
Feb & Apr	Melons (Rockmelon)	St. George
Feb – Apr	Ginger	Sunshine Coast
Mar – Dec	Various Vegetables	Bundaberg
Apr – Jun	Citrus ( Oranges, Mandarins)	Gayandah, Mundubbera
Apr – Oct	Various Fruits & Vegetables	Lockyer Valley
Apr – Nov	Beans	Mary Valley
Apr – Dec	Various Vegetables & Tomatoes	Bowen, Ayr
May – Oct	Broccoli	Toowoomba
May – Dec	Sugar Cane	Ayr, Innisfail, Ingham
Jul – Sep	Ginger	Sunshine Coast
Jul – Dec	Onions	Lockyer Valley
Nov – Feb	Mangoes, Lychees, Bananas, Advocados	Mareeba
Nov – Jan	Plums	Stanthorpe
Nov – Jan	Cotton	Goodiwindi, St. George
Oct – Jan	Peaches	Stanthorpe
Nov – Mar	Cotton	Millerran, Toowoomba

Source: Fruit Picking Jobs