The Australian Workers' Union is calling on the Prime Minister to put David Littleproud's disastrous new Agriculture Visa out of its misery, after it was revealed Asian nations are now formally withdrawing from even considering it.
Media reports today reveal The Philippines has formally withdrawn from discussions with other southeast Asian nations looking set to follow.
The Agriculture Visa, originally billed by Mr Littleproud as being more convenient for farmers due to containing even fewer safeguards than existing Pacific Island visas, has failed to attract the support of Asian nations.
The Australian Workers' Union has opposed the introduction of the visa, arguing it would make already endemic levels of exploitation and abuse in the horticulture sector worse.
"The meetings we've had with ambassadors are confidential. But if there are nations now formally withdrawing from engagement with the visa I can confirm that is entirely consistent with the the tenor of the discussions we've been having. I would expect to see the others following suit shortly," said AWU National Secretary Daniel Walton.
"Littleproud and his mates in the Nats have been bloviating and carrying on, accusing our union of treason and of being un-Australian. Well, the truly un-Australian position is to support the abuse of workers on Australian soil.
"Our union will always fight against the abuse and exploitation of workers in this country and if that means engaging with foreign embassies then that's precisely what we'll do.
"If Asian nations are rejecting this agriculture visa it's not because they trust the AWU blindly. It's because they've probably read the 11 independent reports since 2016 that have confirmed widespread abuse of foreign workers on Australian farms. Anyone who lightly dismisses this massive weight of evidence would be unethical, stupid, or both.
"I suspect no nation will want to expose their citizens to our horticulture sector until they believe the Australian Government is serious about ensuring proper safeguards."
