The Permanent Secretary for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Osea Cawaru met with a new employer from Australia, Agri Labour Australia Pacific Labour Manager Mr John Strain yesterday 9 June 2022, to discuss employment opportunities for Fijian workers in the meat works industry.
Agri Labour Australia provides specialist recruitment and workforce optimisation solutions exclusively for the agriculture industry around Australia with its founders from Goondiwindi in Country Queensland.
“The general good reputation of Fijian workers working for meat works industry in Australia and along with Agri Labour Workers Ambassador Mr Lote Tuqiri’s engagement with the Australian community has made us look up Fiji,” said Mr Strain.
Mr Strain, confirmed that this is the first time Agri Labour, is here in Fiji to conduct interviews and recruit Fijians.
“We are here in Fiji to recruit 100 Fijian workers to work for Agri Labour for the meat processing plant that will be based in Grantham, Brisbane. Thank you to the Fijian Government for allowing us to come and recruit from Fiji,” said Mr Strain.
Mr Strain also said that he wants to recruit in 3 phases. The first phase was done this week with the remaining phases in the near future.
“We offer trainings for our workers on financial literacy, awareness on financial scams that come through SMS, nutrition training on how to cook, and we also encourage workers to take up other training opportunities,” said Mr Strain.
Employment Ministry Permanent Secretary Mr Cawaru has shown his utmost appreciation towards the employer for choosing Fiji to recruit its workers.
“On behalf of the Fijian Government, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Agri Labour Australia for choosing Fiji and we look forward to your many visits in future,” said Mr Cawaru.
Mr Cawaru also extended the Fijian Government’s appreciation to the Australian Government and Agri Labour Australia for believing in the people of Fiji to work under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme through the Vuvale Partnership Agreement.