In an article published in today’s Solomon Times Online, The Leader of Opposition, Hon. Matthew Wale, has called on the government to take a more proactive approach to ensure more Solomon Islanders can exploit the opportunities offered by the Australian labour mobility schemes.
Quoting the piece, it read.
Responding to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that Australia is desperate need for at least 26,000 farm workers right now, Hon. Wale said the Solomon Islands government current approach is merely responsive and passive.
He says our government should be proactively seeking out where these 26,000 farm jobs are, who the farmers are, and working to recruit 26,000 young Solomon Islanders to match to this need.
The Opposition Leader says the government’s target of reaching 2,000 of our workers in Australia by the end of December 2021 is just not good enough in view of the number of farm jobs needed in Australia now.
Hon. Wale points out that to be truly proactive the government should not administer the labour mobility scheme but outsource to the private sector on an incentive basis, one that rewards the contractor on the number of Solomon Islanders matched to employers in Australia.
He says to maximize job opportunities for Solomon Islanders in Australia under the schemes, it is important that Solomon Islands has capacity in Australia actively searching for such opportunities.
Australian farmers desperately need 26,000 workers right now, but our government only hopes to reach 2,000 of our workers in Australia by the end of 2021, Mr. Wale commented.
There are no jobs for young Solomon Islanders in our own economy. In fact life has become very hard. There are many households that are struggling to even have one meal each day. There are many kids who are out of school because parents cannot afford school fees,” Mr. Wale added.
End of quote.
Sources: Opposition Press and Solomon Times Online.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
