Increasing taxes tends to discourage participation, we increased taxes on smokes and pre mixed alcoholic drinks to reduce consumption yet the dopey dim witted leftists think increasing taxes in a good thing.


Quote:

Fruit picking season in full swing but southern states struggle to find labour The fruit picking season is well underway, but growers have been left short-handed and wondering where all the casual labour has gone. Fruit growers in Victoria could have a shortfall of up to 3000 seasonal workers to pick their fruit. Mike Crisera from Fruit Growers Victoria said the situation was a cause for concern. Tonnes of fruit left to rot In Tasmania, one berry farm has contacted Fruit Growers Tasmania looking for more labour after they had to leave hundreds of tonnes of fruit to rot on the ground because there were not enough pickers available. Phil Pike, business development manager for Fruit Growers Tasmania, said the farmer was not alone. "That's a challenge that we're hearing from across the state," Mr Pike said. Backpacker tax an issue "Certainly the backpacker tax and the reputational damage that that debacle did was forecast by us (and) by senior growers," Mr Pike said. The tax was introduced by the Federal Government at the beginning of last year and taxes workers on working holiday visas 15 per cent on earnings above $37,000. "When those second year visa-holders left, which was at the end of 2017, would the numbers of first-year visa holders for 2018-2019 be there? At this stage they aren't." Mr Jennings was the strawberry grower from Cygnet who lost hundreds of tonnes of berries due to the shortage. "There's just nowhere near enough people to go around at the moment," Mr Jennings said. "We started picking mid-October. I would say the past eight weeks we would have been roughly about 80 people each day short of what we needed." Despite advertising this week on the Tasmanian Agriculture Jobs website for extra pickers he said the response was nowhere near what would be needed to get the crop off. "At this stage, it's possibly too late for us. In November and early December we would have lost about 300 tonnes of fruit just left to rot," he said http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-12/fruit-pickers-in-short-supply/9320256?smid=ABCRural-Twitter_Organic&WT.tsrc=Twitter_Organic&sf178993779=1

Good............. self-inflicted injury....

But....But I am sure there are plenty of poor disadvantaged, out of work, Australians who would jump at the chance.

lee wrote on Jan 12^th, 2018 at 4:24pm:

But....But I am sure there are plenty of poor disadvantaged, out of work, Australians who would jump at the chance.

Pay them properly and I'm sure they would jump at it

Its time wrote on Jan 12^th, 2018 at 4:59pm:

Pay them properly and I'm sure they would jump at it

So the same rate of pay and less tax doesn't do it for them? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

What do you want to pay them as diesel mechanics?

Gee what an opportunity for the dole bludgers to get some self respect.

"Harvest work / Fruit picking:
This kind of work is normally paid on a piece rate, therefore hard work and long hours can see you earning $800-$1000 per week. Take a laid back approach and you will earn around $400-$600."

https://www.travellers.com.au/work-in-oz/pay-rates/

Coalition introduced this tax. Guess that's why juliar is going attack crazy right from the start.

stunspore wrote on Jan 12^th, 2018 at 5:06pm:

Coalition introduced this tax. Guess that's why juliar is going attack crazy right from the start.

I was hoping nobody reminded them of that so we could dick with them for awhile  :)

Gosh I am following the attention seeking LW.

Wonder if the unions will try to sign up the fruit pickers ?

Did U know that the huge amounts of the highly toxic dangerous to life on Earth carbon dioxide is making the pine apples grow so fast that there are too many of them to process ?

Wonder how many slip thru the backpacker tax thing ?

Are the backpackers coming on leaky boats and slipping into and out of Australia ?

The report is of course highly suspect as it is from the ABC Socialist Propaganda Station known to lie and deny.

On 2GB they said there was such a huge crop of pine apples that the processing plant could not cope - so it wasn't for lack of pickers.

Its time wrote on Jan 12^th, 2018 at 5:08pm:

stunspore wrote on Jan 12th, 2018 at 5:06pm: Coalition introduced this tax. Guess that's why juliar is going attack crazy right from the start. I was hoping nobody reminded them of that so we could dick with them for awhile  :)

But Labor and the unions should be in agreeance with that. They don't want the backpackers working, let alone picking fruit.

"Stop giving local jobs to backpackers and foreign workers: says Ged Kearney of ACTU"

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/stop-giving-local-jobs-to-backpackers-and-foreign-workers-says-ged-kearney-of-actu-20150430-1mwpy2.html

So taxing the backpackers at a higher rate should be encouraging the locals. But that doesn't seem to be happening.

So really you are only dicking with yourself. Not that that is unusual.

Labor supported a backpacker tax.

"But a Labor amendment to drop the tax rate to 10.5 per cent was supported by the Greens, and crossbenchers including Derryn Hinch, Jacqui Lambie and David Leyonhjelm."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-30/labor-moves-amendment-to-reduce-backpacker-tax/8078378

Its time wrote on Jan 12^th, 2018 at 4:59pm:

Pay them properly and I'm sure they would jump at it

But society will then not buy that fruit as it will be too expensive.

Like the car industry.  Australian cars were too expensive, so Australian people bought overseas.

The steel fabrication in industry the same.

In fact every industry.  People living in the cities scream about tariffs designed to protect Australian jobs, but then they refuse to pay the prices to get things produced in Australia.  They prefer to buy overseas made goods by people who work under such conditions that sometimes suicide is considered an better alternative.

Lefties are not known for knowing.  And LW embarrasses himself AGAIN!!!!

Now how about a bit of what the Lefties HATE - TRUTH.



Golden Circle accused of ‘abusing the situation’ as tonnes of pineapples go to waste
1 HOUR AGO MICHAEL MCLAREN

https://www.2gb.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/01/26233819_1585436941502462_6400715591179121699_o-1.jpg
Minister for Northern Australia, Senator Matt Canavan, calls on consumers to vote with their wallet and back Australian pineapple farmers.

His comments come after tens of thousands of pineapples were left to rot when a Golden Circle cannery failed to accommodate for a plentiful crop.

Senator Canavan tells Michael McLaren the Golden Circle cannery should be backing Australian farmers.

“I think Heinz is increasingly trying to put imported product into their cans because it’s cheap and that concerns me.

“The [Australian pineapple] industry won’t necessarily be able to supply all of their needs throughout the year.

“It’s understandable they use some imported product but I think they’ve been abusing the situation.”

Senator Canavan says Australian consumers can hold producers to account by backing Australian-made products.

“Vote with your wallet. Vote to support those companies that produce Australian food and back Australian farmers.”


Click PLAY below for the full interview

https://omny.fm/shows/ben-fordham-full-show/golden-circle-accused-of-abusing-the-situation-as



https://www.2gb.com/golden-circle-accused-of-abusing-the-situation-as-tonnes-of-pineapples-go-to-waste/

Sounds like the inarticulate uninformed Lefties who couldn't argue their way out of a paper bag have dug themselves into a hole again.

The Chinese want the unions to make fruit so expensive to pick the fruit growers will go broke and then the Chinese will come in and buy up the fruit growing farms and employ ONLY Chinese workers.

Baronvonrort wrote on Jan 12^th, 2018 at 2:03pm:

Increasing taxes tends to discourage participation, we increased taxes on smokes and pre mixed alcoholic drinks to reduce consumption yet the dopey dim witted leftists think increasing taxes in a good thing. Quote: Fruit picking season in full swing but southern states struggle to find labour The fruit picking season is well underway, but growers have been left short-handed and wondering where all the casual labour has gone. Fruit growers in Victoria could have a shortfall of up to 3000 seasonal workers to pick their fruit. Mike Crisera from Fruit Growers Victoria said the situation was a cause for concern. Tonnes of fruit left to rot In Tasmania, one berry farm has contacted Fruit Growers Tasmania looking for more labour after they had to leave hundreds of tonnes of fruit to rot on the ground because there were not enough pickers available. Phil Pike, business development manager for Fruit Growers Tasmania, said the farmer was not alone. "That's a challenge that we're hearing from across the state," Mr Pike said. Backpacker tax an issue "Certainly the backpacker tax and the reputational damage that that debacle did was forecast by us (and) by senior growers," Mr Pike said. The tax was introduced by the Federal Government at the beginning of last year and taxes workers on working holiday visas 15 per cent on earnings above $37,000. "When those second year visa-holders left, which was at the end of 2017, would the numbers of first-year visa holders for 2018-2019 be there? At this stage they aren't." Mr Jennings was the strawberry grower from Cygnet who lost hundreds of tonnes of berries due to the shortage. "There's just nowhere near enough people to go around at the moment," Mr Jennings said. "We started picking mid-October. I would say the past eight weeks we would have been roughly about 80 people each day short of what we needed." Despite advertising this week on the Tasmanian Agriculture Jobs website for extra pickers he said the response was nowhere near what would be needed to get the crop off. "At this stage, it's possibly too late for us. In November and early December we would have lost about 300 tonnes of fruit just left to rot," he said http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-12/fruit-pickers-in-short-supply/9320256?smid=ABCRural-Twitter_Organic&WT.tsrc=Twitter_Organic&sf178993779=1

Looks like they are being taxed less than the locals.

freediver wrote on Jan 12^th, 2018 at 8:37pm:

Baronvonrort wrote on Jan 12th, 2018 at 2:03pm: Increasing taxes tends to discourage participation, we increased taxes on smokes and pre mixed alcoholic drinks to reduce consumption yet the dopey dim witted leftists think increasing taxes in a good thing. Quote: Fruit picking season in full swing but southern states struggle to find labour The fruit picking season is well underway, but growers have been left short-handed and wondering where all the casual labour has gone. Fruit growers in Victoria could have a shortfall of up to 3000 seasonal workers to pick their fruit. Mike Crisera from Fruit Growers Victoria said the situation was a cause for concern. Tonnes of fruit left to rot In Tasmania, one berry farm has contacted Fruit Growers Tasmania looking for more labour after they had to leave hundreds of tonnes of fruit to rot on the ground because there were not enough pickers available. Phil Pike, business development manager for Fruit Growers Tasmania, said the farmer was not alone. "That's a challenge that we're hearing from across the state," Mr Pike said. Backpacker tax an issue "Certainly the backpacker tax and the reputational damage that that debacle did was forecast by us (and) by senior growers," Mr Pike said. The tax was introduced by the Federal Government at the beginning of last year and taxes workers on working holiday visas 15 per cent on earnings above $37,000. "When those second year visa-holders left, which was at the end of 2017, would the numbers of first-year visa holders for 2018-2019 be there? At this stage they aren't." Mr Jennings was the strawberry grower from Cygnet who lost hundreds of tonnes of berries due to the shortage. "There's just nowhere near enough people to go around at the moment," Mr Jennings said. "We started picking mid-October. I would say the past eight weeks we would have been roughly about 80 people each day short of what we needed." Despite advertising this week on the Tasmanian Agriculture Jobs website for extra pickers he said the response was nowhere near what would be needed to get the crop off. "At this stage, it's possibly too late for us. In November and early December we would have lost about 300 tonnes of fruit just left to rot," he said http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-12/fruit-pickers-in-short-supply/9320256?smid=ABCRural-Twitter_Organic&WT.tsrc=Twitter_Organic&sf178993779=1 Looks like they are being taxed less than the locals.

So why aren't they coming ?

freediver wrote on Jan 12^th, 2018 at 8:37pm:

Baronvonrort wrote on Jan 12th, 2018 at 2:03pm: Increasing taxes tends to discourage participation, we increased taxes on smokes and pre mixed alcoholic drinks to reduce consumption yet the dopey dim witted leftists think increasing taxes in a good thing. Quote: Fruit picking season in full swing but southern states struggle to find labour The fruit picking season is well underway, but growers have been left short-handed and wondering where all the casual labour has gone. Fruit growers in Victoria could have a shortfall of up to 3000 seasonal workers to pick their fruit. Mike Crisera from Fruit Growers Victoria said the situation was a cause for concern. Tonnes of fruit left to rot In Tasmania, one berry farm has contacted Fruit Growers Tasmania looking for more labour after they had to leave hundreds of tonnes of fruit to rot on the ground because there were not enough pickers available. Phil Pike, business development manager for Fruit Growers Tasmania, said the farmer was not alone. "That's a challenge that we're hearing from across the state," Mr Pike said. Backpacker tax an issue "Certainly the backpacker tax and the reputational damage that that debacle did was forecast by us (and) by senior growers," Mr Pike said. The tax was introduced by the Federal Government at the beginning of last year and taxes workers on working holiday visas 15 per cent on earnings above $37,000. "When those second year visa-holders left, which was at the end of 2017, would the numbers of first-year visa holders for 2018-2019 be there? At this stage they aren't." Mr Jennings was the strawberry grower from Cygnet who lost hundreds of tonnes of berries due to the shortage. "There's just nowhere near enough people to go around at the moment," Mr Jennings said. "We started picking mid-October. I would say the past eight weeks we would have been roughly about 80 people each day short of what we needed." Despite advertising this week on the Tasmanian Agriculture Jobs website for extra pickers he said the response was nowhere near what would be needed to get the crop off. "At this stage, it's possibly too late for us. In November and early December we would have lost about 300 tonnes of fruit just left to rot," he said http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-12/fruit-pickers-in-short-supply/9320256?smid=ABCRural-Twitter_Organic&WT.tsrc=Twitter_Organic&sf178993779=1 Looks like they are being taxed less than the locals.

Locals get the first $18K tax free these backpackers are paying 15% up to $37K then taxed at same rate.

It looks like they're paying more tax to me.  :)

Lots of fruit rotting away from shortage of fruit pickers, if we bankrupt our farmers we can import cheaper sh1t from China.

Its time wrote on Jan 12^th, 2018 at 9:05pm:

freediver wrote on Jan 12th, 2018 at 8:37pm: Baronvonrort wrote on Jan 12th, 2018 at 2:03pm: Increasing taxes tends to discourage participation, we increased taxes on smokes and pre mixed alcoholic drinks to reduce consumption yet the dopey dim witted leftists think increasing taxes in a good thing. Quote: Fruit picking season in full swing but southern states struggle to find labour The fruit picking season is well underway, but growers have been left short-handed and wondering where all the casual labour has gone. Fruit growers in Victoria could have a shortfall of up to 3000 seasonal workers to pick their fruit. Mike Crisera from Fruit Growers Victoria said the situation was a cause for concern. Tonnes of fruit left to rot In Tasmania, one berry farm has contacted Fruit Growers Tasmania looking for more labour after they had to leave hundreds of tonnes of fruit to rot on the ground because there were not enough pickers available. Phil Pike, business development manager for Fruit Growers Tasmania, said the farmer was not alone. "That's a challenge that we're hearing from across the state," Mr Pike said. Backpacker tax an issue "Certainly the backpacker tax and the reputational damage that that debacle did was forecast by us (and) by senior growers," Mr Pike said. The tax was introduced by the Federal Government at the beginning of last year and taxes workers on working holiday visas 15 per cent on earnings above $37,000. "When those second year visa-holders left, which was at the end of 2017, would the numbers of first-year visa holders for 2018-2019 be there? At this stage they aren't." Mr Jennings was the strawberry grower from Cygnet who lost hundreds of tonnes of berries due to the shortage. "There's just nowhere near enough people to go around at the moment," Mr Jennings said. "We started picking mid-October. I would say the past eight weeks we would have been roughly about 80 people each day short of what we needed." Despite advertising this week on the Tasmanian Agriculture Jobs website for extra pickers he said the response was nowhere near what would be needed to get the crop off. "At this stage, it's possibly too late for us. In November and early December we would have lost about 300 tonnes of fruit just left to rot," he said http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-12/fruit-pickers-in-short-supply/9320256?smid=ABCRural-Twitter_Organic&WT.tsrc=Twitter_Organic&sf178993779=1 Looks like they are being taxed less than the locals. So why aren't they coming ?

I once spent a summer in QLD picking watermelons. Now I mostly work in the aircon.

The tax may well be the reason for it, but that is not necessarily a valid reason for getting rid of the tax. We could also double our mining workforce overnight by letting in cheap tax-free labour, and the mining companies would whinge just like farmers when it was removed. But the local's salaries would go back up.

freediver wrote on Jan 12^th, 2018 at 9:35pm:

Its time wrote on Jan 12th, 2018 at 9:05pm: freediver wrote on Jan 12th, 2018 at 8:37pm: Baronvonrort wrote on Jan 12th, 2018 at 2:03pm: Increasing taxes tends to discourage participation, we increased taxes on smokes and pre mixed alcoholic drinks to reduce consumption yet the dopey dim witted leftists think increasing taxes in a good thing. Quote: Fruit picking season in full swing but southern states struggle to find labour The fruit picking season is well underway, but growers have been left short-handed and wondering where all the casual labour has gone. Fruit growers in Victoria could have a shortfall of up to 3000 seasonal workers to pick their fruit. Mike Crisera from Fruit Growers Victoria said the situation was a cause for concern. Tonnes of fruit left to rot In Tasmania, one berry farm has contacted Fruit Growers Tasmania looking for more labour after they had to leave hundreds of tonnes of fruit to rot on the ground because there were not enough pickers available. Phil Pike, business development manager for Fruit Growers Tasmania, said the farmer was not alone. "That's a challenge that we're hearing from across the state," Mr Pike said. Backpacker tax an issue "Certainly the backpacker tax and the reputational damage that that debacle did was forecast by us (and) by senior growers," Mr Pike said. The tax was introduced by the Federal Government at the beginning of last year and taxes workers on working holiday visas 15 per cent on earnings above $37,000. "When those second year visa-holders left, which was at the end of 2017, would the numbers of first-year visa holders for 2018-2019 be there? At this stage they aren't." Mr Jennings was the strawberry grower from Cygnet who lost hundreds of tonnes of berries due to the shortage. "There's just nowhere near enough people to go around at the moment," Mr Jennings said. "We started picking mid-October. I would say the past eight weeks we would have been roughly about 80 people each day short of what we needed." Despite advertising this week on the Tasmanian Agriculture Jobs website for extra pickers he said the response was nowhere near what would be needed to get the crop off. "At this stage, it's possibly too late for us. In November and early December we would have lost about 300 tonnes of fruit just left to rot," he said http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-12/fruit-pickers-in-short-supply/9320256?smid=ABCRural-Twitter_Organic&WT.tsrc=Twitter_Organic&sf178993779=1 Looks like they are being taxed less than the locals. So why aren't they coming ? I once spent a summer in QLD picking watermelons. Now I mostly work in the aircon. The tax may well be the reason for it, but that is not necessarily a valid reason for getting rid of the tax. We could also double our mining workforce overnight by letting in cheap tax-free labour, and the mining companies would whinge just like farmers when it was removed. But the local's salaries would go back up.

To hot for ya princess ?

Not really. But the pay was crap. Too many backpackers around.

juliar wrote on Jan 12^th, 2018 at 5:04pm:

Gee what an opportunity for the dole bludgers to get some self respect.

Why don't you have a go at it ? You could use some yourself ?

I am fairly sure that you could get to Tasmania, find accommodation and enjoy two weeks of work at the minimum wage if you are lucky to find someone paying that much. You probably won't go close to breaking even with being unemployed but what a great opportunity. (to spend money you don't have)

freediver wrote on Jan 13^th, 2018 at 8:04am:

Not really. But the pay was crap. Too many backpackers around.

I did sugar cane cutting, picked peaches in the Riverland and grapes in Mc Laren Vale, and what you say that the pay was crap is spot on, and some of the owners of the crop will rob you left right and centre, and being a Bloody New Australian myself, I found most New Australian owners were the worst. I think most posters here wouldn't know what they are talking about.

More standard Lefty gloom and doom denial stuff from DNA.

So why don;t Labor support tariffs?

Stop all this imported food, make everything grown here and processed here.
it will become some sort of utopia.  Of course food prices will rise as a result, but that is a good thing, more local money.

Labor should be 100% behind this idea.

juliar wrote on Jan 14^th, 2018 at 8:52pm:

More standard Lefty gloom and doom denial stuff from DNA.

I'll take that as a no - you are not going to take this marvellous opportunity.

hatman92 wrote on Jan 14^th, 2018 at 9:14pm:

So why don;t Labor support tariffs? Stop all this imported food, make everything grown here and processed here. it will become some sort of utopia.  Of course food prices will rise as a result, but that is a good thing, more local money. Labor should be 100% behind this idea.

Not sure what I messed in your logic but it is the Liberals who put on this tax ???

The Liberals undermine farmers and there is nothing their lapdog coalition partner can or will do about it.

Dnarever wrote on Jan 14^th, 2018 at 9:20pm:

Not sure what I messed in your logic but it is the Liberals who put on this tax ???

Yes. And Labor supported a tax on the backpackers. Labor and the unions don't want backpackers.

Backpacker rorts cause shortage of fruit pickers

Now we've got it right.....

hatman92 wrote on Jan 14^th, 2018 at 9:14pm:

So why don;t Labor support tariffs? Stop all this imported food, make everything grown here and processed here. it will become some sort of utopia.  Of course food prices will rise as a result, but that is a good thing, more local money. Labor should be 100% behind this idea.

Why would food prices rise?  The current produce is still in the international market.... more people would be earning money here if it was locally grown with all excess produce sent offshore, and thus market forces - according to those who push that line - should remain the same.

Economic theory and even economic fear-mongering are one thing - simple reality is another...

Production does not incur the greatest cost - the greatest cost goes to the middle men.... always has and always will.

Its time wrote on Jan 12^th, 2018 at 4:59pm:

lee wrote on Jan 12th, 2018 at 4:24pm: But....But I am sure there are plenty of poor disadvantaged, out of work, Australians who would jump at the chance. Pay them properly and I'm sure they would jump at it

The reason Australian workers don't take up the work is the massive red tape burden and punitive rates of effective taxation. Who wants to jump through all of Centrelink's massive paperwork burden to end up earning $4 to $5 an hour? The excessive red tape makes it harder for a worker in Victoria to pick fruit in Queensland than a backpacker in Germany. That is insane.

Xenophon proposed exempting harvest work from income reporting requirements. It would be a good start but doesn't go far enough.

Bam wrote on Jan 15^th, 2018 at 8:59am:

Who wants to jump through all of Centrelink's massive paperwork burden to end up earning $4 to $5 an hour?

Got examples?

Under 18,201 no tax. Low income earners rebate takes that up to  20,543.

"Webber and Sons Orchards plan to enter into a piecework agreement with Fiona, an adult casual picker. The piecework rate for Fiona is calculated as follows:

    Weekly wage rate level 1 (see clause 14): $694.90
    Plus 25% casual loading: $173.73 ($694.90 x 25%)
    Plus 15% piecework loading: $104.24 ($694.90 x 15%)
    Total: $972.87
    Daily wage rate: $194.57 ($972.87 ÷ 5 days)

The daily rate is then divided by the bin or kilogram rate per day that an average competent pieceworker can achieve to determine the piecework rate.

For example, if an average competent pieceworker can pick 15 bins of fruit over a daily picking shift of 7.6 hours (approximately 2 bins per hour) the piecework rate is:

Daily wage rate ($194.57) ÷ 15 bins = $12.97 per bin."

https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/minimum-wages/piece-rates-commission-payments-industry-specific/horticulture-award

So two bins /hr approx $26 less any tax.

Quote:

Xenophon proposed exempting harvest work from income reporting requirements. It would be a good start but doesn't go far enough.

How about we just automatically give every farmer the dole?



Grappler Truth Teller Feller wrote on Jan 14^th, 2018 at 10:24pm:

hatman92 wrote on Jan 14th, 2018 at 9:14pm: So why don;t Labor support tariffs? Stop all this imported food, make everything grown here and processed here. it will become some sort of utopia.  Of course food prices will rise as a result, but that is a good thing, more local money. Labor should be 100% behind this idea. Why would food prices rise?  The current produce is still in the international market.... more people would be earning money here if it was locally grown with all excess produce sent offshore, and thus market forces - according to those who push that line - should remain the same. Economic theory and even economic fear-mongering are one thing - simple reality is another... Production does not incur the greatest cost - the greatest cost goes to the middle men.... always has and always will.

The local price would rise for anything we are a net importer of. The overseas price would drop. It would only have a negative impact to the extent that it had an impact at all, but for the most part it would be ineffectual.

lee wrote on Jan 15^th, 2018 at 11:15am:

Bam wrote on Jan 15th, 2018 at 8:59am: Who wants to jump through all of Centrelink's massive paperwork burden to end up earning $4 to $5 an hour? Got examples? Under 18,201 no tax. Low income earners rebate takes that up to  20,543. "Webber and Sons Orchards plan to enter into a piecework agreement with Fiona, an adult casual picker. The piecework rate for Fiona is calculated as follows:     Weekly wage rate level 1 (see clause 14): $694.90     Plus 25% casual loading: $173.73 ($694.90 x 25%)     Plus 15% piecework loading: $104.24 ($694.90 x 15%)     Total: $972.87     Daily wage rate: $194.57 ($972.87 ÷ 5 days) The daily rate is then divided by the bin or kilogram rate per day that an average competent pieceworker can achieve to determine the piecework rate. For example, if an average competent pieceworker can pick 15 bins of fruit over a daily picking shift of 7.6 hours (approximately 2 bins per hour) the piecework rate is: Daily wage rate ($194.57) ÷ 15 bins = $12.97 per bin." https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/minimum-wages/piece-rates-commission-payments-industry-specific/horticulture-award So two bins /hr approx $26 less any tax.

Rather an ambitious rate, which assumes that they are paid properly which isn't always the case. You have conveniently ignored tax and effective tax. The interaction between income reduction, taxation and the Medicare levy is brutal.

My previous figures are close to the mark because unlike you I do not handwave away the tax and effective tax as irrelevant. That's what drives the hourly rate down so much. It's not what the company pays that counts, but what the worker receives after the government loots their pay. The government's cut can exceed 71%.

$25.60 × 29% = $7.42. And that's assuming they can work in a demanding physical job for several hours a day in good weather. Most people won't keep this work rate up consistently which brings the average rate down. And that assumes they are paid properly. Many workers are not.

The point that all are missing is that the current issue is too much fruit has grown.

Why has too much fruit grown ?

Simple. It is all that highly toxic dangerous to life on earth (according to the Greenies) carbon dioxide floating around that is making the plants grow like crazy.

It is just like pumping carbon dioxide into a greenhouse to make the plants go crazy just like the Greenies.

The Chinese will be watching closely ready to come in and snap up any growers the unions send bankrupt.

lee wrote on Jan 15^th, 2018 at 11:15am:

Bam wrote on Jan 15th, 2018 at 8:59am: Who wants to jump through all of Centrelink's massive paperwork burden to end up earning $4 to $5 an hour? Got examples? Under 18,201 no tax. Low income earners rebate takes that up to  20,543.

A very simplistic assessment that ignores some important points.

Anyone who has income reporting requirements to Centrelink loses 50% of their pay over $51 per week, and over $126 per week they lose 60% of their pay. These income reporting requirements are poorly implemented and mistakes are common.

The Medicare levy starts at a pre-tax income of about $22,000 a year and at those levels is much higher than the 2% or so that people on higher incomes pay. The levy "ramping" makes it closer to 10% for incomes between about $22,000 and $26,000 a year because the 2% levy on $26,000 a year is compressed into a $4,000 income band.

I have included Centrelink reporting here because it's reasonable to assume that someone who is unemployed may want to consider harvest work. After the onerous Centrelink paperwork, brutal income reduction and arbitrary ex judicial penalties that can amount to over $7,000 for moving to an area with fewer job opportunities as defined by the opaque Centrelink bureaucracy, it's not surprising that few bother to go through all these barriers to take up seasonal work.

So remove the barriers. That's why Xenophon's plan of exempting harvest work from income reporting must be considered. That cuts the red tape and allows people to keep more of the money they have earned.

Of course, in an ideal world people shouldn't need to rely on income support. That's why we need a Job Guarantee. Reliable access to gainful employment is a basic human right, not a privilege.

freediver wrote on Jan 15^th, 2018 at 12:12pm:

Quote: Xenophon proposed exempting harvest work from income reporting requirements. It would be a good start but doesn't go far enough. How about we just automatically give every farmer the dole?

Farmers don't pick these crops themselves. It's too labour intensive.

For some crops like carrots and potatoes, the crops can be extracted using machinery with little labour required.

Carrot harvesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDsZC-s6V9g

The crops that are usually labour intensive are crops like zucchinis, apples, tomatoes, peas, etc. These are all fruiting crops. Plants don't place their fruit in locations that can be harvested conveniently using machinery. These must be picked by hand so the plant isn't damaged and can grow more crops.

Bam wrote on Jan 15^th, 2018 at 2:35pm:

The Medicare levy starts at a pre-tax income of about $22,000 a year and at those levels is much higher than the 2% or so that people on higher incomes pay.

So 2% is not 2%? Interesting.


Bam wrote on Jan 15^th, 2018 at 2:35pm:

brutal income reduction

50% of the income taken still leaves them better off.


Bam wrote on Jan 15^th, 2018 at 2:35pm:

that can amount to over $7,000 for moving to an area with fewer job opportunities

Moving? I thought they were only going picking?

juliar wrote on Jan 15^th, 2018 at 2:29pm:

The point that all are missing is that the current issue is too much fruit has grown. Why has too much fruit grown ? Simple. It is all that highly toxic dangerous to life on earth (according to the Greenies) carbon dioxide floating around that is making the plants grow like crazy. It is just like pumping carbon dioxide into a greenhouse to make the plants go crazy just like the Greenies. The Chinese will be watching closely ready to come in and snap up any growers the unions send bankrupt.

Too much fruit is grown because we subsidise the agricultural industry.


Quote:

Farmers don't pick these crops themselves. It's too labour intensive.

I did not claim they do. But who do you think benefits most if we make the agricultural workforce tax free?