Pensioners proposed as farm labour

A SCHEME to give tax breaks to pensioners willing to do on-farm work has been backed by primary producers in the region who say anything that helps alleviate labour shortages in the sector would be welcome.

The proposal has been put forward by a coalition of federal crossbench MPs, as well as seniors, farmers and small business groups, and seeks to lift the income test threshold for pensioners with limited savings.

Under existing rules, single pensioners with no other assets or income are taxed half of every dollar they earn above $490 a fortnight, a clear disincentive to workforce participation the groups argue.

With labour still a key issue for farms across the country, National Farmers Federation president Fiona Simson said an experienced workforce was being overlooked, given three per cent of the nations pensioners (76,000 of the 2.6 million) are in paid work.

“The farm sector’s labour crisis is hurting farmers, it’s hurting the economy, and it’s hitting consumers in the hip pocket,” Ms Simson said.

“We need to pursue every solution. That means supporting older Australians who are willing to pitch in at a seriously challenging time.”

Ms Simson argues a grey nomad workforce that’s highly mobile would go some way to replacing the backpacker market that’s yet to return in sufficient numbers to meet the agricultural sectors demands.

“There’s so many things you can get them to do, weeding, fertilising, driving tractors, looking after animals,” Magic Meadow farms owner Debbie Carter said.

The Lovely Banks producer has her pensioner parents helping her out on the farm, and said there’s many more like them who are capable and want to work.

“You get a grey nomad that’s worked all their life, or a retiree, they are more than willing to do things that younger ones aren’t.

“We’ve got a massive region of olives that last season didn’t get picked…the Surf Coast strawberry farm couldn’t get all their fruit off.

“We’re coming up to stone fruit season again, and citrus, and that’s when we’re going to be in real trouble.

“I think its awesome, even if they could only give you half a day or one day.”

Ms Carter’s reservations are in the form of council regulations and insurance, both she said would need to be on board with the proposal.

“Anything that makes labour hire easier, we would absolutely welcome,” Lisa Agnew from Otways Blueberries said.

“We’ve had a number of locals in the past, older people, they’re great, they enjoy gardening.”

The federal government has acknowledged the proposal, and said it’s likely to be discussed at an upcoming skills summit in early September.