Driving through Warracknabeal, Horsham, Dimboola, Nhill, Kaniva and Rainbow meeting people last week, I was struck by the magnificent crops and - after some recent worrying seasons and forecasts - many farmers finally have something promising in the paddock.  Sadly, the pest that threatens this harvest is not locusts or mites, but the politics from Canberra.

The Albanese Labor Government are pumping the brakes on desperately needed workers needed to bring the Wimmera crop in.  

Working holiday makers (WHMs) have been a mainstay of Australian farming for decades and some very capable workers from the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland and South Africa come for harvest to run $1-2 million harvesters and other machinery, some ow which can reap $300,000 worth of crop per day.

The immigration department website claims working holiday maker visas are processed in ‘less than a day’ but across the Wimmera last week, and since, farmers tell me these visa applications lodged in early July are unresolved 40 days on, with harvest imminent.

I am calling on Labor to take the handbrake off the harvest and get on with processing WHM visas and this week in Canberra have been taking up the fight for our farmers.  You can see more on my advocacy at annewebster.com.au or my social media feeds.

When the Coalition was in government, we established the ‘Ag’ Visa to strengthen our agricultural workforce.  We signed a deal with Vietnam for 1,000 workers to help with harvests. Labor repealed the Ag Visa within months of taking office and over 4 years on, Labor has not allowed one Vietnamese worker in under that program.  

The Nationals intended to expand the Ag Visa to other nations across Southeast Asia with the likes of Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Instead, Labor is attacking agriculture, hitting the handbrake on bringing WHMs in on the cusp of harvest.  

Crops  don’t wait for Labor to fix their migration mess.  The crop needs to come off, and yet again it feels like Labor does not care about, and does not understand, farming and regional Australia.

Please email anne.webster.mp@aph.gov.au if you need assistance.