Friday 4 September 2026

Federal Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster has called on the Albanese Labor Government to take the handbrake off of Working Holiday Maker visas, warning broadacre farmers are entering harvest without certainty that experienced and often highly skilled and returning workers will be allowed into Australia in time.

Dr Webster said there had been a surge in farmers and agricultural contractors contacting her this week after subclass 417 Working Holiday Maker visa applications that were previously processed within days had remained unresolved for up to 40 days.

“Harvest doesn’t wait for Tony Burke and Anthony Albanese to sort out their visa mess,” Dr Webster said.

“Farmers across Mallee are preparing to operate multimillion-dollar machinery, harvesting crops worth hundreds of thousands of dollars every day. I have had a surge of farmers across the one-third of Victoria my electorate covers – Victoria’s grainbelt – crying out for certainty so they can harvest.

“Broadacre farmers and harvesting contractors regularly bring back the same experienced people from countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada and because they know the machinery, understand the work and can be trusted during the most important weeks of the farming year.  You can’t put inexperienced operators in that equipment.

“Applications were lodged in early July for workers needed for harvest, yet farmers are still waiting for answers.”

The Department of Home Affairs now warns that, because of a high volume of Working Holiday Maker applications, subclass 417 processing times are “longer than usual” and applicants should not arrange travel until their visas have been granted.  The warning was added to the subclass 417 webpage updated on 18 August 2026, and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has admitted Working Holiday Maker visas are being processed “more slowly than they were previously”.

Dr Webster said the government appeared to be targeting the workers regional Australia needs, to cover for Labor’s uncontrolled migration disaster.

“Labor has allowed net overseas migration (NOM) to run out of control, and now they are pulling the handbrake on producing Australia’s food and fibre – even though backpackers have zero impact on NOM numbers,” Dr Webster said.

National Farmers’ Federation horticulture spokesman Richard Shannon has estimated that backpackers comprise about half of Australia’s peak-harvest casual workforce and described them as “essential to our industry and the food security of the nation”.

Excel Farms’ Nick Paterson said the uncertainty was making it increasingly difficult for farmers to prepare properly for harvest.

“Farmers plan months ahead and many seek to bring back workers who already understand the machinery, the farm and the demands of harvest. When applications lodged in early July are still unresolved as harvest approaches, it leaves businesses with very few options,” Mr Paterson said

Australian Custom Harvesters President and Bourke Harvesting operator Matt Bourke said experienced international workers were essential to the safe and efficient operation of modern harvesting businesses.

“We bring back highly skilled workers from Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland because they have experience operating multimillion-dollar agricultural machinery. During harvest, our operation can harvest around $300,000 worth of crop in a day, so we cannot simply replace an experienced operator at the last minute,” Mr Bourke said.

“Harvest begins for us in about four weeks. Without these workers, our business will be crippled. We need decisions on their visas now so we can plan our workforce and get crops off when they are ready.”

Dr Webster said the Coalition supports lower overall migration that our housing and infrastructure can sustain, but that requires disciplined migration policy, not panicked decisions that punish agriculture.

“Our farmers plan ahead. Our contractors plan ahead. Labor needs to get out of the way and let them get on with harvest,” Dr Webster said.

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