Seasonal Worker Program increases by 33 per cent across Northern Territory

By Daniel Fitzgerald

RELATED STORY: Seasonal workers fill backpacker void on NT mango farm

RELATED STORY: Seasonal workers swap East Timor for East Kimberley

RELATED STORY: Growers look to Pacific Seasonal Worker Program because of backpacker tax

MAP: Katherine 0850

Northern Territory farmers are increasingly turning to workers from the Pacific Islands and East Timor to fill their labour demands.

Horticulture farms across the Northern Territory have this year employed 33 per cent more workers through the Seasonal Worker Program than last year.

Around 398 workers from 10 countries have been employed to pick fruit across 12 farms.

The NT Farmers Association said the increase was partly due to the uncertainty created by the debate around the backpacker tax.

Farmers in the Katherine region told ABC Rural earlier this year they saw workers from the Pacific Islands and East Timor as a more reliable source of labour.

For mango and citrus grower Sevenfields, labour from the Pacific Islands are preferred over backpackers.

Harvest supervisor at the company's Katherine farm, Emma Harrison said having previous staff return for subsequent harvests was an advantage.

"We want people that can come back for the next five years, that are going to be experienced, they are going to know what to do year in, year out," Ms Harrison said.

"We try not to use backpackers as much as we can, for the fact that they are not as reliable as [the Solomon Islanders]; they are here for six months, they do the mangoes and follow through with the citrus later on.

"Backpackers aren't willing to hang around for that time, and they will never come back the year after."

Growers come to terms with backpacker tax debate

The backpacker tax debate has had a huge effect on the horticulture industry, with much of Australia's fruit and vegetables brought to customers by teams of seasonal workers.

Sevenfields is now employing 29 Solomon Islanders directly, instead of through a labour-hire company.

Ms Harrison said the arrangement was better for both the company and the workers.

"We can manage where they stay, what they are getting paid, it reduces the cost on us because with a contractor you have to pay [more]," she said.

Ms Harrison said the men from the Solomon Islanders were quick to learn about mango harvesting.

"They are all really passionate about learning how and why we do things on the farm," she said.

"It is great that they put some care and passion into the fruit. They understand it takes 11 months to grow mangoes, and then for them to pick it in a four-week period is quite quick, and they take the care, which brings out better mangoes."

Wage a drawcard for Pacific Islanders

One of the Solomon Islander's working at Sevenfield's farm for five months is Brian Steward.

He said the $1,000 he can earn in a week in Australia would take him around seven months to earn in the Solomon Islands.

With the money he earns in Australia, he planned to help his family.

"We are going to start a little [business] for ourselves, that is what I am here for, to earn money and go back to do something for my family," Mr Steward said.

He was keen to return to Katherine for the next mango harvest.

"If Sevenfields ask me to come back I would love to come back," he said.

Fellow worker Alex Aubela, said there were many people in the Solomon Islands who wanted to come pick fruit in Australia.

"It is pretty hard to find jobs back at home, here it is much easier to earn a lot of money than back home," he said.