Bring back the backpackers or we’ll all pay

The farm and tourism sectors have been jointly lobbying for a limited resumption of the working holiday program which pumps $3.2bn into the economy each year as 200,000 backpackers fill unwanted farm jobs before splashing their cash as tourists.

National Farmers Federation general manager of workplace relations Ben Rogers said the situation was reaching a “crisis” point but the campaign was not making “a lot of headway” with the government.He said the annual exodus…



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