The Albanese Labor Government has yet again demonstrated its incompetence in government, announcing a hastily concocted backtrack on its go-slow on harvest worker visas, Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster said today.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has today co-opted the National Farmers Federation into putting forward urgent cases of farmers needing harvest support, after sustained advocacy by The Nationals.

“Yet again Labor have announced a policy, then worn heavy and most-warranted flak from The Nationals via our strong connections in regional Australia, and accepted they got the policy wrong,” Dr Webster said.

“However, in this instance, Labor’s patch-up is so sloppy it has huge holes in it.  We, in The Nationals, told the Government their go-slow approach to 417 working holiday maker visas was economically damaging at harvest and unsafe for the farmers left to bring the crop in.  

“Labor thought it was being clever with net overseas migration by fiddling about with processing timelines on visas for harvest workers.  

“Every time there’s a political point to be scored, Labor is pummelling regional Australia for the political capital.

“Minister Burke has decided to co-opt the National Farmers Federation and its member bodies into a process for which, as best I can tell, farming bodies will not be paid for the processing effort.  I am told that come 3pm each working day, peak bodies will submit 417 visa applicants from their membership.  I, alone, have well over 50 Labor-delayed harvest visa cases in Mallee – and growing by the day - and there are scores more regional electorates across Australia.  

Dr Webster called out Labor’s spin on the use of the term ‘normalisation’ for Labor’s intended 3-month processing timeline for 417 visas.

“There is nothing normal about what Labor are doing here – its paranormal, as in, spooky and horrific.  The Department of Home Affairs’ website was telling 417 visa applicants, when they applied, that visas are processed often ‘within a day’ and in the majority of cases, within a week.  I have cases running out to almost three months now,” Dr Webster said.

“Minister Burke’s claim of ‘normalisation’ is tricky language for pulling the rug out on harvest, and the handbrake on future harvests, so Labor don’t have to lose political capital among other visa classes in a fractious migration debate.”

“The Nationals have already made it crystal clear, we will not make cuts to working holiday maker visas in regional Australia.  Labor, instead, want to play political games with regional Australian livelihoods.”

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