Tuesday, 30 August 2022

Responses

Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education, Minister for Agriculture) (20:34): There were 12 adjournment matters raised this evening. I will deal with one that was referred to me; the others will be referred to the relevant ministers.

The one that I wish to pick up is the matter that Ms Lovell raised, and that is the issue of labour shortages, particularly in the area of seasonal workers. Ms Lovell has called for the government to increase the number of overseas workers so that there can be seasonal harvests concluded in a way that producers will be satisfied with. The fact of the matter is, as we all know, that there is a worldwide shortage of labour. There is a shortage of labour domestically and there is also a shortage overseas. There is constant competition for workers. There are also skills shortages right across the world as well, and there can be no way that anyone could—

Ms Lovell interjected.

Ms TIERNEY: Listen. I listened to you; out of respect I would expect that you would do the same for me, Ms Lovell. What I am about to say is that you could not have a government—whether that be federal or state—here in Victoria at the moment that is more occupied with the fact of skills shortages and labour shortages. That is why we have been so fortunate to have had free TAFE since 2019. Can you imagine a Victoria where we did not have free TAFE, where we did not have all of those 115 000 people that have already gone through the system?

Ms Lovell: We need fruit pickers.

Ms TIERNEY: The federal government is the level of government that issues visas, not the state government. But having said that, Ms Lovell, out of respect, it is this federal government that has also made sure that this country is bringing all the key people together in Canberra towards the end of this week for the Jobs and Skills Summit that will be looking at a whole range of things. Whether it be overseas workers, skilled migration, domestic skilling up of locals—a whole range of things will be discussed.

Ms Lovell interjected.

Ms TIERNEY: Excuse me—respect again, Ms Lovell. The fact of the matter is that there is no silver bullet in the situation that we have here or anywhere else in the country, let alone the world. But what this government and the federal government have is an effort to collaborate. We want ideas, we want practical solutions, and as I said, there is no silver bullet. But the fact of the matter is that we constantly have Ms Lovell standing up and saying, ‘What about this? What about that?’, but she never offers a solution. Not once have I heard her offer a solution on anything, and I have got to say she never wants to talk about collaboration. My understanding of and my relationships with people in the agricultural sector since I have become minister have been matters of collaboration. They want to sit down and talk things through with people for the benefit of not just their own businesses but those of their local communities.

I would expect that it would be better for Ms Lovell to make an appointment to see me and to sit down and work through some of the issues that she has around the Shepparton area, just like Agriculture Victoria is doing in a whole range of local government areas—working with local government, working with peak bodies, working with agricultural organisations so that we can work out the most effective ways that we can have not just long-term sustainable labour demands met in a whole range of parts of Victoria but a long-term strategy that ensures that we do not have this hit-and-miss situation that has developed over time and has got worse as competition for labour has increased.

We understand that you cannot do this alone. As I said, there is no silver bullet, but we are making sure that we have got the right people around the table and that we have got action. Murray Watt was actually here in Parliament on the last Wednesday night that we sat. I met with him and went through a whole range of issues, and of course he was well across the issue of the need for overseas labour for our seasonal and harvesting activities. This will be another topic that will be worked through at the Jobs and Skills Summit in Canberra during the course of the week. Again, this is a worldwide issue that everyone is grappling with, and I would expect that Ms Lovell will want to participate in that instead of being on the sidelines wanting to throw stones all the time. With that, I would encourage Ms Lovell to come and see me. I am happy to take her through what Agriculture Victoria is doing here in Victoria and happy to convey her views to others.

Ms Lovell interjected.

Ms TIERNEY: Again Ms Lovell is not listening. She is just wanting to throw stones and is expecting people to provide a silver bullet when she knows that hard work delivers the outcomes that we are all seeking, not the laziness that we constantly see from those opposite.

The PRESIDENT: The house stands adjourned.

House adjourned 8.40 pm.