Hopes new Pacific worker scheme will assist Northern Territory businesses

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Northern Territory struggles to find workers for low and semi-skilled jobs, but with a steady stream of foreign workers now flying in, that may be changing.  The Pacific Labour Mobility, or PALM scheme, brings workers from eight Pacific nations and Timor Leste to work in Australia, and it’s now expanding to cover industries like hospitality and aged care.  While the United Nations has expressed concern about exploitation, the NT Chamber of Commerce, which oversees the program locally, says it monitors companies closely to guard against that.

Transcript

00:00In Darwin's hospitality industry, employers often rely on backpackers for staff.

00:10But it's not ideal, as Darren Lynch knows all too well.

00:14Some people have said they're going to rock up at 10 o'clock for a shift in the morning.

00:17They don't rock up, and then by the time you chase them down there halfway to Perth,

00:20you get them to Kununurra when they're in reception.

00:23Workers from impoverished Timor-Leste have very different priorities.

00:28You can make a lot of money when you go back.

00:31What you want to make your dream come true, yeah.

00:35There's a lot of jobs that Aussies don't want to do,

00:37and these people will do it with a massive smile on their face,

00:40and they'll do it for four years.

00:42So from an employer's perspective, it's absolutely a no-brainer.

00:46Darren partnered with an established labour hire company from Queensland.

00:51We believe this is a fantastic solution to solve that,

00:54where the partner wins, the candidate wins,

00:57and it's just a really mutually beneficial arrangement.

01:00The first six imports went to Darren's waterfront venues.

01:05Housekeeping.

01:06The next eight at a FIFO accommodation centre.

01:10They earn Australian award wages, more in a couple of days than a month back home.

01:16And they're here for at least nine months.

01:19To save money for my retirement, do some business, help my family.

01:23I come here, I work really hard for them, because I love them.

01:27Maddalena's friends in the kitchen also planning for the future.

01:31My objective is whatever I learn from here, I would like to apply in my country,

01:37and also to open my own business, to give more jobs for my people.

01:43These guys just need an opportunity.

01:45Working with the NT Chamber of Commerce, Ronan Mackey,

01:49is tasked with growing the PAM program in the Northern Territory,

01:52and making sure workers are not exploited or trapped in modern slavery.

01:57Let's say labour hire companies out there that are not part of the program,

02:01but saying that they are, and yet taking advantage of some of the workers here in the country.

02:05I'm very aware of the good companies, and the not so good companies.

02:09When I'm looking to source new employers, which is what my role is,

02:12to get out there and try and grow the program within the NT,

02:15well, I look at the good companies.

02:17And with tens of thousands of Timorees ready to fly in,

02:21the NT could soon see a lot more arrivals.

02:24I don't see why we can't grow thousands and thousands of workers here in the NT,

02:28and take advantage of our closest neighbour, Timor-Leste,

02:30who have 51,000 workers, have the supply,

02:33and we definitely have the demand.

02:36Pilot programs are already up and running in childcare,

02:39and Mackey says he wants to explore the potential for placements

02:43in maintenance, trades and mining.

02:46They're talking thousands, tens of thousands of job shortage right now.

02:50And whether it's onshore gas or other industries,

02:52it's going to need more and more people.

02:54So right now we've got a massive undersupply of thousands of people.

02:57When the new industries come on board, it's even going to be more people.

03:00So you need to start now.

03:02Forging closer ties with our closest neighbours,

03:05with the benefits flowing both ways.

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