STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr BATT (Hinkler—Deputy Nationals Whip) (16:42): The pause on visa applications for working holiday makers is hitting Hinkler hard. It's hurting hospitality, it's terrible for tourism, and it's failing our farmers. We need a system which supports young people from overseas to fill labour shortages while travelling in Australia.

Tinaberries is a strawberry- and macadamia-growing business in Bundaberg, employing about 40 working holiday makers each year in roles such as picking, packing, pruning and general farm work. Tina says: For a grower waiting for workers to arrive before harvest, uncertainty can have very real consequences. Working holiday makers are not a luxury for their business; they are essential to a timely harvest.

The uncertainty is not just on the farm. I recently met with Simon O'Callaghan, CEO of Fraser Coast Tourism and Events. This whale season, Simon tells me that tourism operators are reporting booking cancellations and growing uncertainty as a direct result of visa processing delays.

Prospective workers are unable to secure visas in time, and workforce shortages are hitting operators when they can least afford it. Under Labor, we already have low consumer confidence, weakened by ongoing global instability and rising travel costs. Now, tourism operators, just like our farmers, need certainty and access to a reliable workforce, now more than ever.

We must return to normal visa processing timeframes and restore some faith. Labor knows it has a massive migration issue, and it's not— (Time expired)