Mildura electorate
Ms CUPPER (Mildura) (12:55): (6332) My constituency question is for the Minister for Agriculture, and the information I seek is about the government’s plans to assist our region to build its stock of seasonal worker accommodation. Sharp, rapid growth in horticultural productivity in the last decade has outpaced the development of suitable seasonal accommodation. This has led to farmers being short on workers, fruit being left on vines and overcrowding in substandard conditions. Recently the government announced a grant of $744 000 to Robinvale Backpackers to help the business build accommodation for 60 workers. This was gratefully received, but the reality is we need to turn those 60 beds into at least 6000, with industry leaders in the table grape and citrus industries saying the shortage might be as high as 7000 beds. Several months ago I forwarded a proposal to the minister that contained various ways the government could work in partnership with the private sector to increase the number of seasonal worker accommodation beds in our region. Can the minister provide information to me and our local industry on the government’s response to that proposal?