WA industry in ‘much better’ situation – Russell Delroy

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2021 edition of AFG, available online here.

Russell Delroy, WA

Avocado grower Russell Delroy says WA fruit and vegetable growers are in a ‘much, much better situation’ for labour supply than they were 12 months ago, thanks to an influx of workers from Tonga and Vanuatu under the Seasonal Worker Programme and Pacific Labour Scheme.

“Last year was a horrible time. Management were tearing their hair out with the turnover of staff and profitability declined by as much as 70–80 per cent in some places, due to high labour costs but much lower productivity,” says Russell.

“We tried and tried but locals just didn’t work. The number of backpackers has decreased and those who are left have gone into hospitality, since rural tourism is booming, and they can pay good
money. It’s hard for us to jump up the pay rate when we’re employing 100–150 people.”

In October the horticultural businesses involved in the Season Worker Programme banded together to lobby the State Government to get it up and running again, which meant setting protocols and finding rooms in hotel quarantine to prevent any incidence of Covid-19.

The WA Government has done a very good job, Russell says. The Delroys’ Donnybrook Packing Company has had its seasonal worker cap increased from 25 to 70 Pacific Islanders and the program is ‘a godsend’.

“There’s now a full-time coordinator for the SWP in the Department of Primary Industries, Research & Development. Every fortnight we have rooms in hotel quarantine set aside for planeloads
of workers from Tonga or Vanuatu, as those countries are free of Covid-19.

“Two thirds of our Pacific workforce has already arrived on farm and we’re training them up for what’s likely to be one of our biggest avocado harvests.”

Working through licensed labour hire companies, employers pay for the quarantine costs, a portion of the air fare and the medical insurance, as well as organising vaccinations for Pacific workers.

The effort is worth it, says Russell.

“We provide really good accommodation and we put a lot of effort into pastoral care outside work at a significant cost, but they’re really happy and the productivity is there to justify it. We want them to come back year after year.

“Without that turnover of staff, management teams can focus on business rather than constantly chasing casual labour and re-training, re-inducting and resolving endless HR issues.”

Read more labour stories from around the country here.