SEDA news and events
The department works with a range of partners to provide workshops for farmers to help them make the most of seasonal conditions. These can be part of an ongoing program or arranged specifically if the need arises. Since 1 May 2018, Agriculture Victoria has delivered over 200 dry seasonal conditions activities and events across the state. Agriculture Victoria has the following dry seasonally focused farmer workshops scheduled in the approaching months for the following regions:
PMA Australia-New Zealand have released a Guide on coping with COVID-19 in the workplace. The guide provides advice on:
- Recommendations to prevent introduction and spread of COVID-19
- Accommodation of workforce
- Staff health and welfare
- Protocols if an employee is found to be infected with COVID-19
Although restrictions will be easing and things appear to be settling down, we still need to remain vigilant to ensure no outbreaks in our industry.
The International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) is up and away, with several IFAM-supported flights now operational. More than 560 Australian businesses have registered their interest in using the IFAM and agreements for 300 freight flights have been secured to date.
Current scheduled IFAM flights:
The IFAM is currently supporting the following flights to help get Australian produce to international customers quickly:
• Sydney to Tokyo (Narita)
• Brisbane to Singapore, Hong Kong and Auckland
• Melbourne to Singapore, Hong Kong and Auckland
• Brisbane to Cairns to Hong Kong
• Adelaide to Singapore
Please visit the IFAM webpage for the latest flight information and schedules.
Register your interest
Exporters should submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to access IFAM flights. Further information on how IFAM works is available on the IFAM webpage.
Tax Support for Small Business
Is your small business affected by COVID-19? Come to this free 60 minute webinar to find out how the Government’s stimulus package can help your small business.
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) resources for business
If your business is being affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) there are resources that can help. Visit the Victorian Chamber of Commerce website for further information.
Interactive Webinars- Melbourne Innovation Centre
Visit the Melbourne Innovation Centre website to view a list of the interactive webinars are delivered as part of the ASBAS Digital Solutions program, in partnership with the Australian Government and Melbourne Innovation Centre.
Coronavirus business support and financial assistance finder- Business Victoria
A range of assistance is available from the Australian and Victorian governments and other organisations to support businesses impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19). Our finder will ask you a series of questions to help you find the funding or support available to you based on your circumstances.
Online workshops for your small business- Business Victoria
All Small Business Victoria workshops are currently being delivered online via Zoom for free. Explore topics on staring your business, building resilience, marketing, finance, and business planning. All workshops are normally low-cost, but right now they are free! Browse workshops here...
Some of the basic requirements to enter each state
NSW, Victoria and ACT
No border restrictions exist for people traveling from any state or territory into NSW, Victoria or the ACT. However the requirement to restrict unnecessary travel applies. If you have offered workers a job it is advisable for them to have a copy of the confirmed job offer and accommodation arrangements when they travel.
Social Distancing
The introduction of widespread social distancing rules has resulted in many hostels limiting the number of people that can stay. Some are not accepting new guests and many caravan parks are closed, making it hard to find accommodation in lots of rural towns. So if you are bringing in workers from intra or interstate, make sure that suitable accommodation is available for them when they arrive.
The issue of accommodation for workers should not be underrated. While workers have traditionally managed to find their own accommodation in hostels and caravan parks, this cannot be guaranteed anymore and growers may need to provide more on farm accommodation. Some growers are already doing this by sourcing some of the many unused camper vans that are parked in yards around Australia. Attractive rental rates are on offer from these companies.
Visa condition changes
If you are employing anyone on a Working Holiday Visa (417 or 462) the good news is they are able to extend their visa by 12 months, even if they haven’t completed the 3 or 6 months of specified work required to apply for a second or third Working Holidaymaker visa. Staying in Australia
Looking for agriculture work?
While many other industries have either shut down or are operating at reduced capacity, agriculture is basically operating as normal, with large numbers of people still needed to pick and pack fruit and vegetables. However due to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, many people who already have casual horticulture jobs are electing to continue working and thus there are few new job vacancies at the moment.
So if you are contacted by people looking for work, please ask them NOT TO TRAVEL TO ANY REGIONAL AREAS UNLESS THEY HAVE A CONFIRMED JOB TO GO TO. Rural communities do not want people arriving in their towns without a job and there is limited accommodation. People looking for horticulture work can get up-to-date information on all aspects of harvest jobs by contacting National Harvest Labour – 1800 062 332 or harvesttrail.gov.au. If you are looking for harvest workers our call centre consultants can assist with finding suitable people. This is a free service.
The ag industry, led by the National Farmers Federation (NFF), has approached the Australian Workers Union (AWU) seeking support to temporarily make amendments to the Horticulture Award to allow growers more flexibility to manage the impact of COVID-19 on their workplace.
The proposed changes include:
• Changes to casual employee's overtime arrangements, to facilitate social distancing and relieve some of problems associated with finding staff and engaging transient workers.
• To remove the requirement to pay a shift penalties so growers can work smaller teams in staggered shifts.
• To enable growers to direct employees to take annual leave where there are downturns in work demands and to enable social isolation.
• To allow growers to direct workers to perform alternative duties to address fluctuating work needs and patterns of work.
The last two proposed changes would mimic recent changes to the Fair Work Act which currently only apply to employers that are eligible for the JobKeeper allowance.
The variations would be in effect for the duration of the pandemic. Over recent weeks the Commission has introduced other COVID-19 changes to Awards with effect through to the end of June 2020 with scope to renew as necessary.
Source: APAL
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