Australia Takes a Stand: Action Against Seasonal Worker Abuse

Any instance of abuse against seasonal workers in Australia is intolerable and will be addressed. This statement was made by Pat Conroy, the Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific, during a press conference held in Tonga yesterday. He was addressing concerns regarding the mistreatment of workers under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. Conroy acknowledged Australia’s history with Pacific workers and emphasized that participation in the scheme is voluntary, with countries having full control over the selection of their workers. He is currently in Tonga for the 53rd Pacific Island Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting.