AUSTRALIAN EMPLOYER PRAISES FIJIAN WORKERS
EMPLOYER INTENDS TO INCREASE NUMBER OF INTAKES AND EXTEND LENGTH OF EMPLOYMENT PERIOD
More Fijians can expect to gain further employment in Australia under the Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP).
This comes after one satisfied Australian employer, AGRI-Fresh, spoke highly of 15 Fijians he had employed under the programme and who have completed their four months employment duration. This week, the employer, through the Ministry of Employment, thanked the Fijian Government by praising the satisfactory performance of the Fijian workers.
“Being the first year of our participation in SWP, I must say your people are amazing. Fijians are hardworking and determined to earn,” said the employer. “This year, we are at learning stage, so we only have 15 people from Fiji and short four months. Due to the excellent programme and people, I will increase the number of Fijian workers to 40 next year and extend work period to seven months.”
The employer also expressed his appreciation to the Fijian community and local churches in Australia for their support and assistance to the workers and the good working relationship established with his management team.
On another front, the Fijian Government also received positive feedback relating to our Fijian meat-workers under the Australian Pacific Labour Scheme (PLS) who participated at the Tarnworth Annual Multicultural Festival last weekend.
“The group have been accepted into the community with open arms and have a lot of local support from Fijian communities and Teys family,” said the employer. “The group have registered a Teys Oz Tag Team and played their first game ever last week, which made other teams very nervous.”
The workers were introduced to their local churches and have been accepted with welcoming arms. Furthermore, feedback on site is nothing but positive.
With these positive feedback, the Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations,
Youth and Sports, Parveen Bala, on behalf of the Fijian Government, thanked the Australian employers for the positive results received and looks forward to strengthening bilateral ties with the Australian government for a win-win outcome.