Maintaining your home in the harsh Whitsunday climate can be a challenge. Do you have cracks in your concrete? Has your paintwork faded? Is mould a problem? Could your home do with a touch-up?

If so, it’s time to enlist the skills of Jonathan and Kathryn Pourau, who operate Superior House Painting Specialists and Superior Concrete Resurfacing.

Jonathan has over 25 years of experience in the industry, 13 years living in the Whitsundays.

He has completed Advanced Training with Dulux, Master Painters and Master Builders, waterproofing and rendering completes his skill set.

Kathryn is the Business Administration Manager and has 20 years of experience working in health and safety for construction.

Using only the best quality Dulux Acrylic Render, they can ensure cracks are given a long-lasting water-proof seal and weather-enduring finish.

The most important part of any job, however, is following the three fundamental steps of preparation, application and finish.

“Our systems are designed to deliver a great result and finish that will last for years,” said Jonathan.

“Preparation is crucial. Shortcuts are a waste of time and money and will lead to failures such as cracking, fading or discolouration, peeling and flaking or mould. Initial steps include carrying out repair work such as cut and fill as applicable.

“Acid etching and pressure cleaning creates greater adhesion for external surfaces. Further surface preparation includes priming, undercoating and sealing.

“Engage a licensed and qualified tradesperson. Get value for your money. Dulux, Master Painters or Master Builders will recommend a competent and trained applicator to you, free of charge.”

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Jonathan and Kathryn Pourau, operate Superior House Painting Specialists and Superior Concrete Resurfacing. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

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Struggling to sleep after a long day? Having difficulty getting up for work in the morning?  

Feeling like there’s no point to your work? Snapping at people around you?

It could be burnout. There’s a certain amount of work-related stress in our lives, but burnout is different. It’s a more serious type of chronic stress. It leaves you physically and mentally exhausted (brain-fog), and can cause you to catastrophise and question everything you do.

DID YOU KNOW?  

62 per cent of Australians say they have been affected by burnout in the workplace.

Recognising Burnout:

• Struggling to get to work, feeling drained, lacking energy and focus, not sleeping well and becoming sick.

• Not enjoying your work anymore, being critical and cranky with the people around you, feeling pessimistic.

• Feeling apathetic, being less productive, becoming snowed under and missing a sense of satisfaction.

• A mismatch between you and your job overall withdrawal, isolating yourself.

Common Causes:

·         Poor work-life balance

·         Feeling constantly overwhelmed by your workload

·         Lack of support or feedback

·         Mental health challenges

·         Not taking leave / breaks when you need to

·         Expectations to work longer hours

·         Inability to say ‘no’

·         Socially toxic workplace

·         Lack of control of workplace environment

How to step back into your power:

• Identify the source: Work out where your stress is actually coming from – is it a task or person? Identify one thing you can do this week to address the pressure. Start small first, then see if you can work up to bigger actions.

• Stop working harder to overcompensate: Step back and identify the easiest things you can do which will have the biggest impacts – work smarter.

• Step back into your values: Ensure what you do, aligns with what you believe in.

• Seek help: Holding it in can worsen the effects of burnout. Identify a trusted supervisor or friend and speak to them about what you're experiencing. Sometimes simply talking about your feelings can offer relief.

• Set boundaries: Burnout can be overwhelming, so as you're getting back on track set boundaries and commit to saying ‘no’.  

• Find joy in everyday things you do: It might be helping a colleague, a good coffee in the sun, a podcast on a walk, planting sunflowers in your garden, or a regular catch up with a friend.  

• Turn off: Put down the tech and limit your exposure wherever possible, screens can drain huge amounts of your time and energy.

• Ask for feedback: Tell your manager you thrive with positive feedback.

• Take care of your health: Sleeping, eating, and exercising well are important for mental and physical wellbeing. In times of stress, it can be harder to keep these healthy habits but not tending to your health can compound the original stress and hold you back from recovering.

Contributed with thanks to Judy Porter from SHIIFT

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With Gary Simpson, Councillor for Division 5

Hello everyone,

The beginning of the year is just flying by and I’m excited to share some Division 5 news with our community.

Just call me ‘Good News Gary’ because we have just received some important funding from the Queensland Resilience and Risk Reduction Fund (QRRRF) to upgrade the Cantamessa Road Bridge in Strathdickie.

The bridge was badly damaged in the 2017 Cyclone Debbie event, but up until now, it has never been eligible for flood damage funding.

This bridge is an essential lifeline to our community. Not only do local farmers rely on it to safely transport heavy equipment and machinery during crushing season, but it also serves as a detour option should Strathdickie Road be closed.

I am grateful for the support of my fellow Councillors that we have finally managed to obtain grant funding of $144,000 from the QRRRF. That grant along with the $16,000 contribution from Council ensures a safe passage for all.

In other news, I am proud to say that the first Community Catch-up will be happening at the Dingo Beach Community Centre on Wednesday, March 1, from 9am – 11am.

This will be a great opportunity for Councillors and our senior Council staff to catch-up with local residents face to face and to listen to your needs and aspirations for the future.

I am also excited that investigations are underway for the Dingo Beach – Hydeaway Bay walking track, and I am advocating strongly to deliver a positive outcome for residents.

The application is currently waiting for sign-off by the powers that be in Brisbane, so fingers crossed we will have some good news soon.

It will be wonderful to see these two individual communities brought together in this way. I for one, cannot wait to explore the track with my family.

I can’t wait to catch up with those of you that can make it on March 1. I am so proud to live in our region and will do everything I can to make sure our residents are too.

Cheers

Cr Gary

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One of Australia’s biggest breakfast shows spent a day on the shores of the Whitsundays’ far north to promote the region last week through its daily weather broadcast.

The TODAY Show’s weather presenter Tim Davies introduced national audiences to Bowen and its variety of experiences on Thursday.

The top of the Whitsundays went all out in its television spotlight, having Mr Davies drop in at some iconic spots including Rose Bay and The Big Mango, and some lesser-known locales.

The TODAY Show journalist stopped by Stackelroth Farms for a beekeeping lesson courtesy of Bowen Police Sergeant Michelle O’Regan, local business Smile Kitesurf took Mr Dvies out on the water to showcase their tours and kitesurfing adventures, and Bowen State School kids and Principal Christien Payne came along later, as well as their school mascot – Kindawri.

And he wasn’t the only mascot, Bowen Tourism and Business’ Kenny the Kensington Pride Mango made a guest appearance alongside Manager Leanne Abernathy and Committee Chair Jenn Honnery at The Big Mango Visitor Information Centre.

Ms Abernathy and Ms Honory put the spotlight on Bowen’s most famous commodity, decking Tim out with some mango socks, a hat, and a fishing shirt – which he gladly put on for the segment.

“It was a little blowy as Bowen is famous for on the day that the TODAY Show came, but the community turnout just made such a fantastic atmosphere for Tim and the crew,” Ms Honnery said.

“We could show them how much we love Bowen and the feedback so far is it was a fantastic snapshot of what people can expect when they come here to visit.”

TODAY Show was already visiting the Whitsundays as part of a Wonders of the Whitsundays campaign to showcase the region, which Bowen Tourism and Business contributed financially to see the region have its own “morning on air”.

Mr Davies said it was another opportunity in his career to show off operators and spend another occasion at the Big Mango.

"Everyone knows the Big Mango, I've been there many times and I looked up on my phone all the different occasions I've been there and all the haircuts and all the different people I've been there with," Mr Davies said.

"It's one of those landmarks that is very recognisable. Bowen is such a massive producer of tomatoes, capsicums, and that honey, and if we can highlight that to the nation, even if they're passing through, it's a pin drop in their brain. If from memory they can say, 'I think you can go and do this in Bowen', that's job done for us.

“That is so important to have in an Australian breakfast program, that’s the real DNA of our segment. I love the Whitsundays – it’s my happy place.”

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For Jessica Volker, a Bowen local and ex-dentistry student, becoming an organic farmer in the Lower Don was not in the script.

Yet the now treasurer of Bowen Gumlu Growers Association, agronomic scientist, and consultant is in her third season of owning and operating her farm: Bio Lower Don Organics.

"I did not think my husband and I were going to be farmers – I never thought that would happen but it is seriously the best thing we have ever done,” Mrs Volker said.

Mrs Volker, although growing up in the horticultural hotspot of Bowen, had no experience in the agricultural world. Instead, her expertise was as a young dental assistant in town – eventually moving to the Gold Coast to study the profession.

“The thing I loved about dentistry was helping someone who was coming to see you – to get someone out of a jam, in a sense,” she said.

“When I started studying, I had to do a lot of science subjects, which ended up being agricultural. That was when it clicked that I loved agriculture and made the switch to agronomy.

“Now I’m helping farmers out of a jam in a way. I'm the go-to when you have a problem. It's like what I liked about dentistry but very different; only it still a people-person sort of job where you’re solving a problem.”

Mrs Volker moved back to Bowen to work in agricultural consultancy before starting her farm with her husband, Luke. The pair knew they “had to do something different” to stand out in Bowen.

“That’s why we decided to go certified organic,” she said.

“What we love about farming is the lifestyle it has given us. It’s a back-to-basics job. It’s lovely being out there planting and picking, it’s cliché to say but it’s very wholesome and special.”

With eggplant, tomato, chilli, mangos, and more, Mrs Volker and her family have found their passion in the Lower Don.

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As the Whitsundays slowly moves into its cooler months, locals are getting ready to start growing, especially in the horticultural hub of Bowen.

Scott Raisbeck at Bowen Small Motors and Cycles said he was expecting major interest in his store’s products during what is the “biggest season of the year for all things garden equipment”.

“Next season of growing, that’s going to be big for outdoor power equipment, blowers, snippers, mowers, and everything we’ve got,” Scott said.

“What we always see around this time of year is a massive increase in the demand for these products, and rightfully so; it’s all about growing and gardening at this time of year.”

But Bowen Small Motors and Cycles doesn’t just cover the entire stock range - including Hustler, Stihl, Hansa, Bushranger, Honda, and more – it also repairs all outdoor power equipment, a demand which has seen Scott hire some new staff.

“With more staff now, we’re able to deal with the oncoming demand,” he said.

“It’s obvious how a few extra hands around the place can help you with turnaround time with repairs and keep the customers happy, as well as us ticking along.”

Scott said that, despite the cooling down, residents needed to be wary of cyclone season’s capacity to rear its ugly head in March.

“Staying on top of your generators in case we get a cyclone coming through in that part of the year– which still occurs,” he said.

“Those generators might need some looking into and certainly might need replacing.”

And despite the gloom of potential weather events, the Bowen Small Motors and Cycles owner was eager to remember that cooler weather is the perfect time to get out on your bike – another service that the all-in-one shop stop was more than happy to oblige with.

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Bowen’s entry statement signs were refurbished last week after being in disrepair for just over a year, allowing them to showcase the region’s far north once again to prospective tourists.

The “invaluable” signs are dotted along the Bruce Highway outside of Bowen in various locations including next door to the Bowen Visitor Information Centre and were re-skinned by Whitsunday Regional Council last week.

The entry signs had been graffitied in late 2021 and an attempted removal process of the graffiti had damaged the skin, leaving them white and blistered.

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Julie Hall said the signs’ purpose was to encourage people to come into the town off the highway, which is why they are perfectly positioned to showcase the township of Bowen.

“They entice people to call in and visit what is a beautiful part of the Whitsundays and my home,” Mayor Hall said.

“It makes the entry into Bowen look a lot nicer now that those faded signs have been re-done and it doubles as being great for our tourism for drivers coming down or up the highway.”

Mayor Hall said the new replacements highlighted why locals have a sense of pride in what Bowen has to offer and that the council "is more than happy to be keeping the residents happy!”

The Bowen Entry Signs were renewed as part of the Parks and Gardens Assets Renewal Program for 2023.

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New Bowen entry statement signs were installed last week, courtesy of Whitsunday Regional Council

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Last Friday was a celebration of many roles and accolades within the St Catherine's Catholic College community.

Year 12s were inducted into their leadership roles and the school also celebrated their Year 11 and 12 QATSIF (The Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation) scholarship recipients.

During the event, the combined 50 years of service of Mr and Mrs McIntosh to Catholic Education, was recognised.

Principal Luke Thomson said the theme of the event this year was "Do good today and better tomorrow".

"In line with our Ignatian College value of excellence we encourage our students to always do better and take opportunities presented to them,” he said.

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College Leaders: Teagan Rodriquez and Loujana van Dalen

Primary and Secondary House Leaders: Back: Kai Telford (Frayne House), Kendall Croucher-Greentree (McAuley House), Toby Neil (Ignatius House), Jacob Dewis (Xavier House). Front: Sienna Stagg and Hamish Peel (Frayne House), Austin Kelly and Kaydance Croucher (McAuley House), Heidi Hiscox and Oliver Linneweber (Ignatius House), Reilly Gordon and Jamar Tabua (absent) (Xavier House).

Yr 11 QATSIF recipients: Tia Browning, Brooklyn Power, Jack Kimlin.

Secondary Teacher Mrs Sue McIntosh and Deputy Principal Secondary Mr Phil McIntosh. Photos supplied

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Flora was the daughter of Danish migrant, James Christian Nielson, who settled in Proserpine in 1896 after working and travelling far and wide in Australia for seventeen years. He took up Springsure Farm, seventy-nine acres of light forest land in Glen Isla, becoming one of the most successful farmers in the district growing sugar cane and tobacco. (In 1921, James sold the farm to H M Clarke).

Flora was one of seven children – three sons and four daughters. When she was about five or six years old, a tragic accident occurred. Her brothers were cutting off bits of fencing wire with a tomahawk, putting the wire on a log as they hit it. Flora was holding one end as the chop was made and a bit of wire flew up into the little girl’s eye. There were no doctors in town at this time so they quickly got a horse into a springcart and set off for Bowen – a trip that would take many valuable hours. Taking such a long time to reach Bowen, an infection had already set in to the damaged eye and then spread to the other eye. Doctors tried to save the sight but it was too late.

To provide his daughter with an opportunity to acquire an education despite her disability, James enrolled her at the blind school in Brisbane.  Flora made the journey to Brisbane by boat and it was there that she learnt braille.

In 1913, Flora was part of a band, unique in North Queensland, which was comprised mostly of members of the Nielson family. Charlie was the original conductor, Jim the E flat base; Edith the euphonium; Percy the tenor horn; Violet the second cornet – and Flora the first cornet. Flora memorised all her music from braille. Other band members were Eileen and Mick McCormack and Wally Greenwood. Percy, one of the sons, was tragically drowned during floods in 1921.

Flora’s musical talent was quite amazing. One old timer of the past recalled the silent movie era and how Flora would play music for the films. Her brother would sit beside her and explain what was on the screen and Flora would play suitable background music. What a talent.

In a letter to the “Proserpine Guardian” in February 1973, Mrs Olive Clarke (nee McCormack) wrote of this amazing blind lady who accomplished what even many sighted people would struggle to manage – “Flora was a wonderful person. She did beautiful fancywork; darned socks and made her own frocks. My brother, Joe, and I would often go across to our neighbours, the Nielsons. She really could make that piano talk.”

While it is not certain when Flora died, it was believed to have been in the early 1980s and she was most likely in her seventies.

Thanks to the foresight of her father, James, who was determined that Flora would achieve an education despite her blindness and who arranged for her to make what was, in the very early twentieth century, a long and arduous journey to Brisbane, Flora was able to live a full and productive life upon her return home. Her musical talent brought great joy to her community.

A remarkable lady indeed.

(Postscript: Flora’s surname has often been incorrectly spelt as “Nielsen” even in the local paper and also on Council’s cemetery register, however, the family headstone records the surname of her father, Charles, and brother, Percy, as “Nielson”. This Nielson is not to be confused with the Nielsen family of pioneers Peter and Christian who migrated from Copenhagen, Denmark.)

Story Proserpine Historical Museum. Photo sourced from “Don’t spare the horses” by Beris Broderick.

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Flora Nielson seated third from left and holding her cornet

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The lovingly curated garden of retired local PJ Tell is a hive of activity with chickens strutting in the pens, a veggie patch boasting passion fruit and turmeric, and at its heart, a thriving bee house where gallons of delicious honey is produced each year.

Originally from Switzerland, PJ grew up on a farm and first started beekeeping at 16 years old. Once he left home a few years later, however, he did not pursue the hobby again until almost six years ago when he was looking for “something to do” in retirement.

It was just after Cyclone Debbie in 2017 when he decided to construct a bee house and trial some innovative processes which have since generated a successful and lucrative side hustle.

Bringing the bee house up off the ground prevents dampness and instead of individual houses, PJ has encased them within one wooden shed where seven bee houses reside.

Traditionally there are three levels to each bee house – the bottom where the queen bee lives and lays eggs, the second floor where brood, propolis (a resin-like material made by bees) and wax reside, then a third floor full of honey.

Due to the hive’s popularity, however, PJ has had to install a fourth level which holds additional honey.

Every two months he checks the hive and, if the honey is capped with wax, he removes the frames, cracks open the amber nectar with a spiked roller and places it in a centrifugal machine which extracts the honey.

PJ can expect to retrieve between 12 and 20 kilograms of honey per hive every two months, up to 80 kilograms per hive each year – that’s 560 kilograms in total every year!

Known as the local ‘Bee Rescuer’, PJ’s services are often sought to extract bees from houses, and his special vacuum removes them safely every time.

He then implants the bees into his second beekeeping project - his bee trailer - which contains 16 beehives.

He hopes to soon sell the trailer to an orchard that will find it a useful mobile pollination device.

PJ’s Honey is unique to Woodwark and has a rich flavour due to the wide range of seasonal native flowers in the region.

Try some for yourself by calling PJ on 0400 661 143.

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Whitsunday local and self-professed ‘Covid-story’, Mary Ann Santin, represents just one of the many cultural additions to the community which has seen our local arts industry continue to flourish in recent years.

Originally from Adelaide, Mary Ann has been a full-time working artist since 2010, with many of her pieces adorning walls, galleries and exhibitions across the world.

Practising in paint and object, Mary Ann is a multi-disciplinary artist who enjoys creating sculptures, drawings and paintings with the forever-running theme of ‘Memories’.

Drawing from her own experiences of loss, widowhood and her ten years writing for the Alzheimer's Association, she reflects on themes of impermanence.

“My material is constantly changing but my themes always surround ideas of loss; life has value precisely because it is transient and impermanent,” she explains.

“Something beneath the surface, messing with that temporal space between being and nothingness.”

Mary Ann loves to use natural objects for her art.

Her work features carved wood, beaten copper, cast cement and recycled orchard netting.

Recently she created artwork for the Royal Adelaide Hospital as part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival using a series of repurposed x-rays built into paintings.

She has also experimented with cutting encyclopedias into organic shapes and loves stacking pebbles on beaches.

A lot of her art encourages interaction or introspection from the public and her pieces can be found everywhere from airport terminals to forests.

Most notably, she transformed an old tree, that had been burnt in the 2015 Adelaide fires, into seat size wooden blocks and placed them around a live ash tree near the site.

Since moving to the Whitsundays Mary Ann has been highly involved with local arts projects and curated the Arts Show at last year’s Whitsunday Arts Festival.

She lives in Hyeaway Bay with her partner, Mal, and the couple have just opened ARI (Artist Run Initiative) Whitsundays, an accommodation space for artists to work and become inspired.

Mary Ann offers mentoring and teaching as an option for artists as well.

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Artist Mary Ann Santin in front of laser cut copper works. Photo supplied

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With the onset of flooding, large tides and huge swells, Mackay’s Harbour Beach has had a rough start to the year.

Mackay Surf Life Saving Club (MSLSC) is hoping the Mackay Regional Council or the Port Authority can come to the lifesavers’ rescue.

“The beach is covered in large logs and debris,” said MSLSC Director of Surf Sports Josh Grant.

“I have seen tinnies, jet skis, yachts - you name it, it’s probably washed up here.

“This is becoming a serious public safety issue and we as a volunteer organisation would like some assistance in cleaning this mess up.”

Debris Deterring Beach Use

With debris covering Mackay’s coastlines, the beaches have become increasingly difficult to use.

“We had to close the beach last weekend due to the huge logs and a massive 6.5m tide,” said Mackay Surf Life Saving Club Director of Surf Sports Josh Grant.

“This prevented our nipper program going ahead as well as restricted the public’s access to what is one of Mackay’s most beautiful and safest beaches.”  

Mr Grant said the surf club is hoping that the council or port authority can assist in cleaning up Harbour Beach so that it can be utilised by the Mackay community once again.

“In its current state, it is unsafe, particularly at high tide,” he said.

“The community and our volunteer lifesavers deserve a safe and clean beach – surely that is not too much to ask from our local authorities.”  

Mr Grant fears that the current conditions of the beach could jeopardise Mackay Surf Life Saving Club’s ability to host the North Australian titles and Branch Titles, as well as other major community events.

Mackay Harbour and North Wall Beaches are also popular laying locations for turtles, with debris hindering the efforts of hatchlings returning to the water.

Members of Mackay and District Turtle Watch and the public banded together earlier in the year to clear paths in front of various nests, clearing sticks, grass, weeds and rubbish to allow hatchlings clear access to the water.

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Mackay Nippers giving the thumbs down to the amount of debris at Harbour Beach

Patrol Captain Stan Ridland educating nippers about the risk of large logs in the water

There is still a large volume of debris on the beach that needs to be cleaned up

MSLSC volunteers cleaned up the beach after the flooding event with the council’s assistance in removing the rubbish

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Mackay man Jack was enjoying a Sunday with his grandkids at Belmunda Beach, near Cape Hillsborough, when he spotted something in the sand around 3:00pm.

“We were just driving down the beach and I saw what I thought might’ve been a dead shark,” he said.

“We realised it was a dolphin … we got out with the kids, and it made a couple of noises and we realised it was alive.

“The poor thing was in the hot afternoon sun, laying on her side … she was pretty pink, the poor thing was a bit sunburnt.”

After throwing water on the 1.8 metre dolphin to cool it down, Jack dragged it by the tail to the water, finding that it was too shallow.

“I took her out as far as I could and realised the tide was going to beat me,” he said.

He took to Facebook group Mackay Noticeboard to enlist the assistance of locals.

“Within 15-20 minutes, we had probably three, four lots of people come down which was pretty damn good,” he said.

Jack fortunately had a tarp in his car, so the group of around a dozen lifted the dolphin into a ute with the tarp and drove it to the mouth of nearby Nobbler Creek, submerging it in about a metre of water.

“We did the best we could being amateurs,” Jack said.

“I think everybody’s instincts kicked in, you see this stuff on TV and you do your best.”

“The community support behind it was fantastic.”

Jack hung around until 7:00pm, making sure the dolphin had her best chance of survival.

“We got her in a pretty good spot,” he said.

“I just hope she’s alive.”

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From that heading, you may think I’m referring to my waistband.

To be fair, coming into my final month of pregnancy, you’d be right.

However, in this case, I’m referring to the squeeze or pinch many families are feeling in our region as the cost of living continues to rise at a rapid rate.

With prices increasing for everything from food and housing to education and healthcare, many families are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, addresses the rising costs of food in his article on page 4.

One of the biggest challenges facing families is the rising cost of housing. In many cases, the cost of rent or mortgage payments is getting so high that even families with two incomes are struggling to keep up. This has led to a rise in homelessness, as well as an increase in the number of families who are forced to live in overcrowded or substandard housing.

The RBA's decision to constantly raise interest rates has far-reaching implications for the Australian economy, and for ordinary Australians. The higher rates will make it more expensive to borrow money, which could make it more difficult for some people to buy homes or start businesses. Rental prices will also continue to climb as investors try to recoup the large losses due to interest, which will hit the vulnerable members of the community hardest. At the same time, higher rates could make saving more attractive, and could lead to increased investment in the economy.

Many financial experts are now saying that the RBA’s aggressiveness has hit Australians too hard, too fast, too soon. It's crucial that policymakers remain flexible and responsive to changing economic conditions and are willing to step in before the homelessness gets out of control. I know personally I’ve found the additional $900 / month increase in interest on my mortgage in the past 6 months a bitter pill to swallow. When wages don’t increase to combat inflation, it leaves the economy in a precarious position.

Do you have an opinion on what the Federal Government should be doing to combat the cost of living or rising interest rates? Send your letter to the editor to amanda@mackayandwhitsundaylife.com.

Amanda

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The cost of living and food continues to rise, with Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox saying a contributing factor is agriculture workforce shortages, adding that the Federal Government refuses to accept the Ag Visa as part of the solution.

In last week’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Senate estimates hearing, Senator Penny Wong revealed that more ASEAN countries were interested in joining the Ag Visa.

“Agriculture Minister Murray Watt wouldn’t even approach the subject during estimates, opting to refer all Ag Visa questions to the Foreign Affairs Committee, which led to the revelation,” Mr Willcox said.

“This omission from Senator Wong showed Labor had no idea what the agriculture industry needed and no regard for fixing the cost-of-living crisis.

“It is disappointing to hear more countries wanted to be a part of the Ag Visa, which would bring more workers to Australia, but Labor is refusing to accommodate them,” Mr Willcox said.

“Australia needs 172,000 workers to get food from paddock to plate but the Federal Government has left farmers unable to plant or produce as much food.

“Why is Labor denying Australian farmers the workers they so desperately need?

“Common sense tells you when supply goes down, price goes up, which is why Australians are paying more at the grocery check-out right now.”

Mr Willcox added Labor made an obvious mistake to cancel the Ag Visa, which was designed to supplement the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme for workers in southeast Asia.

He added that figures show food and non-alcoholic beverages have increased by 9.2 per cent over 12 months.

“I have had many local farmers contact me with labour shortage issues. Local Burdekin Farmer Sib Rapisarda from Rapisarda Enterprises who is a leading producer in Horticulture and the sugar cane industry said The PALM scheme is not bringing in enough workers and in fact he would like to see the AG Visa be an option for anyone no matter what country they are from.” Mr Willcox said

“I have had cases where I have trained workers from other countries and are unable to keep them as there is no appropriate VISA they can apply through,” Mr Rapisarda said.

“Labour shortages are our number one issue, and the knock-on effect will be disastrous for Australia if this is allowed to continue. Something needs to be done now or food shortages will be imminent.”

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Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox

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