The Latest Breaking News from PALM

The federal government has hailed the success of a plan to get more Pacific workers into Australia, reaching its target half a year ahead of schedule.

Alice and Scott* have been running their two-storey pub-turned-backpacker hostel in Queensland’s Wide Bay region, north of Brisbane, for more a decade. Over the years they’ve provided accommodation for thousands of backpackers and itinerant workers who come to the region for fruit-picking jobs.

The federal government has committed to allowing the families of hundreds of foreign workers to live with their loved ones in Australia.

The economic impact of COVID on Pacific Island states, combined with major labour shortages in Australia and New Zealand, has created a perfect storm. A mass exodus means Pacific nations are now losing crucial workers at such volume that their own development prospects are being undermined.