Tongan government hopes to increase number of workers on Australian seasonal worker programme Featured
7 September, 2016. Despite stories of exploitation on farms across the country, the Tongan ministry is hoping to increase the number of workers coming to Australia each year.
There are currently 2,179 Tongan workers in Australia on the Pacific Harvest Scheme's seasonal worker programme.
The program allows workers from Pacific Island nations to come to Australia and undertake up to six months of work each year.
Tongan Minister for Internal Affairs, Sosefo Fe'ao Vakata, said there were still more than 1,000 applicants hoping to find a work placement in Australia.
"We need more workers over in Australia," he said during a recent tour to Australia.
"There is some work [back in Tonga], but not as good an income as what they get here in Australia.
"Not just that, but there are a lot of opportunities — they are able to learn some new skills while they're here in Australia."
Exploitation 'a reality
In the past two years, the Pacific Harvest Scheme visa has been marred with claims of worker exploitation throughout Australia including one case of workers in northern Victoria earning less than $10 a week after deductions.
Moora Citrus orchard manager Shane Kay said it was "really sad to see" these cases appeared to be reality.
"It's certainly something that we hate to see," he said.
"But it was quite pleasing to hear from the Minister that when he spoke to the guys, they're extremely happy with the conditions and the employment that they have here."
Employment number one priority
Mr Fe'ao Vakata acknowledged the reality of the situation, however believed finding work for Tongan people in Australia was a priority.
"There are issues, but [I'm] grateful that they are still recruiting from Tonga," he said.
"I think [the issues] can still be tidied up. We can work on it, while we work on getting more workers from Tonga."
Faith in Australian system
Mr Fe'ao Vakata believes Australia has the right systems in place to ensure the proper treatment of workers, and consequences for those not doing the right thing.
"I'm worried, but Fair Work Australia is there, the ombudsman, and the department of employment," he said.
"If the employer is not doing the right thing, they will penalise the employer."
Mr Fe'ao Vakata said he hoped one day every Tongan worker wishing to go to Australia would have the opportunity.
"A lot of our students don't have jobs in Tonga, so we'll be looking to Australia," he said.
"There are a lot of opportunities in Australia for students who have already left school, also the workers that have registered in our list.
"But I'm hoping that they will all make it over to Australia."
-ABC
29 comments
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TINO LEKA...'Oku 'ikai ko ha ha'ofanga fa'u 'esei eni, he 'oku 'ikai teke fa'u 'esei mai. Pea ko ena 'oku ke lau 'eku fokotu'utu'u ka 'oku ke toe loi mai 'oku 'ikai teke lau.
'Oua e kape mai 'o kapau 'oku 'ikai mahino 'eku tu'uaki atu 'eku poupouatu ki he Minisita. 'Oku ke lava fēfē keke fokifokihi, mo fisifisi'i ha taumu'a 'o kapau 'oku 'ikai mahino e me'a 'oku ke lau (reading comprehension)? -
KATAKI 'INOKE...'Oku ou poupou'i 'a e fetuku e kakai ta'e ngāue 'o Tongá kenau ngāue. Faingata'a kiate koe ke mahino? Toe foki 'o lau 'eku fa'utohi, kae tuku e kapemai he ko ena 'oku ke lau 'eku fa'utohí, ka 'oku ke loimai 'oku 'ikai teke lau.
Toko 30,000 'oku ta'e ngaue 'i Tonga, pea ko e ngāue ia 'a Minisitā Vakatā ke kumi e ngāue ke ma'u mo'ui ai 'a kakai 'o e fonuá. 'Oku 'i ai ha taha heni 'oku 'i ai ha'a ne ngaahi ngāue ke ma'u mo'ui ai 'a Tongá?
Hala'atā e?
Fu'u lahi e puhi fāvai, ka 'oku fiema'u e fo'i topaí. -
Fiu au hono fisifisi'i, fokifokihi mo fulifulihi e fa'u 'esei 'a Mokofisi he kaveinga 'o e tolii, moe hala'ataa ha poini teu ma'u mei ai. Pea kapu kou ninimo au nau kalasi 6 tu'o 3, pea huanoa kimoutolu. Ka 'oku tokoni 'ene fakamo'oni mai 'aki hono hingoa papii, he ko 'eku sio hifo pe koiaa, kou hiki fakalaka au 'o lau e 'uu tohi kehee 'oku kakano lelei ange.
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Malo Mokofisi, oku fakalata e talanoa ia pea poini kotoa pe talanoa ia a e kakai ka ku ke nofo koe o attack e style of writing mo e anga si'enau okooko pea ko e 'ai pea teu pehee 'e au ko ha 'angelo fakatonutonu koe. Koena na'a ke hu ta'epoini hake o poupou'i a Vakata pea osi ia kuo ke hanga hake eni o fokotu'utu'u mai ke ai e research ki he ha mo e ha, 'oku ke fu'u fakamamahi mata 'aupito pea 'oku ke nofo pe koe 'o noo'i atu e talahu'i 'a e kakai. Ka 'oku ke fiema'u ke toka'i koe, pea 'oku tonu keke toka'i mo e ngaahi fakakaukau kehe. Pea ka ne koau koe kou 'osi fakapikopiko au he maumautaimi.
Teuteu atu ha Ambulance ke 'ave motu'a na he 'e lele hono toto -
MALIE INOKE...'Ikai foki teu toka'iatu 'e au ha kape mai, mo e manuki, pe ko e talauhu'i. Ko e anga faka-tamaiki vale ia. Talitaliatu au ke fakaanga'i mai 'a e ngaahi 'uhinga 'oku 'oatu, ka e 'oua e kape'i mai (personal attack) 'a e tokotaha fa'utohï.
Tokolahi 'oku nau faka'amu ke tu'u 'enau fakakaukau 'aki 'enau loto-māfana (emotions), mo e faka-mālohi'aki 'a e fakamanamana, ka e 'ikai ke 'omai ha fakamatala 'uhinga lelei, mo fakapotopoto.
'Oua e 'ita vave, ka e fokifokihi mo fisifisi'i 'a e ngaahi lafo 'oku laku mai 'aki 'a e fakamatala 'uhinga mālie, mo totonu. Pea tuku ki he tokotaha laukongá ke fili ke ne lau pe 'ikai. -
Ku mahino e mea lahi mei he ngaahi fakamatala oku fai e Ko e Tonga Au. Pea oku totonu pe foki ke ilo ehe taha kotoa ko Matini koe kaunga ako ia o Feao Vakata pea e iai e ngaahi impacts iha faahinga tafaaki pe ihe ngaahi alea pe oku fakahoko. Oku mooni aupito pe ngaahi fakamatala kotoa tonu ke vakaii pe e uluaki fix e palopalema pea toki ave kakai pe koe fetuku e kakai o toki fix ai pe. Ka ko hono fakakatoa oku ikai teu fakaanga au he talahu'i e Tamaiki ka Mokofisi he oku fuu lele ia he leini mavahe.
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FAKALALAFU...Ko ho'o fa'utohi mai pe ki heni kuo ke 'atā ki ha taha pe ke fakaanga'i ho'o laú, pe 'e vikiviki'i.
'O kapau 'oku 'ikai teke tali ke fakaanga'i koe 'e ha taha, pea 'oua teke fa'utohi mai. Pea tuku e fakapo'ulí, he 'oku 'ikai teke faka'aonga'i ho hingoa totonu na'e 'oatu 'e ho'o ongomātu'á. Koehā, 'oku ke maa'i ho hingoá 'oku 'ikai ke ke faka'aonga'i ai iá?
'Oku 'ikai teke pule'i 'a e anga 'o e ha'ofangá ni. Mahalo 'oku mou pule fakaleveleva 'i he Kele'á, ka 'e fokifokihi mo fisifisi'i koe 'i heni. -
Malo 'etau lava si'i kaunga fevahevahe'aki hotau fale ni. Pea malie ngaahi lukuluku kuo fai. Tau fevahevahe'aki pe aa kitautolu, tuku pe a Moko ia ke fai 'ene fa'u 'esei mo e uiui tevolo, he 'oku 'ikai ha'ane toe tali 'ana ki he 'etau 'isiu, tautefito ki he ngaahi mo'oni'i me'a 'oku 'omai 'e 'Koe Tonga au' Kuo mao 'ene poupou ta'epoini kia Vakataa, pea kuo 'ikai toe lava ha U-turn mai ka koe lele takai ai pe he tu'afale. 'Ikai pe fiehu mai ia ki fale ni ki he maama. Tuku ai aa ke tu'u tu'afale mai pe mei tu'a, kae ifo mo melino 'ena polavee 'atautolu.. Fakatauange ke too mai ha fu'u 'uha hele mo ipu sio'ata 'i tu'afale ke ma'u ai ia mo Vakata hhh.
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Lau hifo 'eku tohi Mokofisi na'e 'ikai ko ha'aku tohi atu 'aku kiate koe ka ko'eku komeni tau'ataina pe 'a'aku. 'Oku 'ikai koha faiako koe he paenga ni keke fakatonutonu mai kimautolu moe founga fa'u tohi kemau fakahoko.
Kapau 'oku 'ikai teke fielau pea 'oku fie lau ia 'e he kakai kehe 'i heni.'Oku mau si'i mahino'i pe 'a e founga fa'u tohi moe fa'u 'esei, research, footnotes mo e reference etc.etc. he na'e mole pe si'i fo'i mata'ali 'emau matu'a hange pe ko koe pea 'oku kehe 'a e folamau ko'eni he 'oku tau'ataina kiai 'a e tokotaha kotoa. 'Oku ou tui koe 'uhinga ia 'oku faka'ata mai ai 'e he 'Etita e Nepituno siemau kohikohi.
Kuo ke quote mai 'a Adam Smith mo hai fua pea 'oku lelei pe ia ka 'oku totonu keke mahino'i 'oku 'ikai koha issue faka-'ikonomika 'ata'ata 'eni he 'oku mahino pe 'oku fiema'u ke employ e kakai ia pea 'oku 'ilo kiai e vale moe poto. Ko e palopalema 'oku mau talanoa atu ai koe palopalema 'i he polosesi mo e founga hono fakahoko mo pule'i pea 'oku malohi 'a e konga fakasosiale mo hono ola kovi he ngahai famili 'i Tonga ni.
'Oku hoko pea faingata'a'ia ai e kau toli. 'Oku fai e poupou ki he fakatokolahi ka 'oku ou nofo atu pe au ke fakalelei'i e palopalema 'i he fo'i polosesi. Kuo fakamo'oni'i pea kuo toutou tuku mai he media m oe lippoti fekau'aki mo e polokalama ni pea kuo 'ohake 'e he ngaahi feme'a'aki he Fale Alea. Ko e konga ia 'o e folau 'a e Minisita ki 'Aositelelia ke fai ha talanoa fekau'aki moe palopalema. 'Oku mahino lelei Mokofisi kiate au 'a Captalism mo hono ngaahi naunau mo hono ta'a'u mo e "Wealth of a Nation" he lau 'a Adam Smith ka 'oku kehe 'a e Text Book mo e reality 'oku hoko. Ko e principle faka'ikonomika 'oku talanoa mai kai 'a e kau scholar 'oku ke 'omai 'oku palopalema pe moia he 'oku kehekehe 'a e application he kapau na'e haoahaoa 'e 'ikai longoa'a 'a mamani.
Teu nofo atu pe he polosesi ko poini ia na'e fakalanga talanoa maia ai 'a Ko e Tonga Au mo Fie'ilo. -
FAKALALAFU...TAU VAKAI'IANGE HO'O 'UHINGA FAKA-'EKONŌMIKÁ...Koehā e 'uhinga lelei ke ta'ota'ofi ai e uki 'o e kau ngāue Tongá, 'o talitali ka e fakalelei'i 'a e ha mo e ha? Kuo 'i ai ha 'uhinga faka-'ekonōmiká, ke tuhu'imai 'a e tefito 'o e palopalemá ni?
1) Kuo fai ha fekumi mo e fakatotolo (research) faka-'auliliki, pe ko ha savea? Ko e founga faka-'ekonōmiká ia. Pe ko 'etau felaau'aki pe he talanoa faka-faikavá (hearsay, rumors, gossips, etc.)? Kātaki 'o 'omai (quote reference) ha fakamatala pehē ketau 'ilo ki ai.
2) Mou kātaki 'o 'omai ha fetu'utaki tau'atāina (independent evaluation) ketau 'inasi kotoa ai. Hangē ko ha fakatotolo 'a e Potungāue Ngāue (Labor Department) 'a e Pule'anga 'Aositelêliá, pe ko ha fakatonutonu ki fale hopo?
3) 'I he 'eku vakaí, ko e māketi tau'atāina (free market) eni 'a e ngāue fakatupu (capitalism) 'a e ngaahi faamá. 'Oku ngāue 'a e ngaahi va'ava'a 'o e ngaahi pisinisi faamá (farming industry) 'i he malumalu 'o e ngaahi lao 'o e Potungāue Ngāue 'a e Pule'angá.
4) Ka 'oku 'ikai fiema'u ke 'omai e Pule'angá kenau "micro-manage" 'a e mingimingi'i va'ava'a 'o e fakalele faka-pisinisi 'o e polokalama "guest workers". Ko e me'a ia 'oku mou feinga ki ai, ke 'omai e kau polisi kenau pule'i 'a e founga ngāué ni. 'Ikai ko ia?
5) Ko e māketi tau'atāiná 'oku ne 'omai e ngaahi faingamālie leleitahá ki he kau ngāuê takitaha. 'Oku nau tau'atāina nai kenau fili 'a e ngaahi faingamālie kenau tu'umālie ai, pe 'ikai? Koehā e lau 'a e laó?
6) 'Oku 'ikai teu tui 'oku faka-ngofua 'e he Pule'anga 'Aositeleliá, mo e ngaahi faamá ke maumau'i e laó 'e he kau "middlemen", pe 'e faka-pōpula'i 'a e kau ngāué 'o fepakipaki mo 'enau tau'atāina kenau filí. Ko e Pule'anga temokalati tauhi lao 'a 'Aositelēlia.
7) Mahino kiate au 'oku 'i ai 'a e ngaahi palopalema fetu'utaki, ta'e mahino 'a e ngaahi lao, etc., pea pehē kuo kākā'i e ni'ihi 'e he kau kave aleapau (middlemen) 'i he vā mo e ngaahi faamá.
8) Ko e founga foki ia 'o e fa'ahinga ngāué ni (comes with the territory), 'oku tau falala kuo fakangofua 'e he lao ngāue (labor laws) 'o 'Aositelēliá, pea tatau ki NZ.
9) Mahu'inga-tahá, ko e lao faka-'ekonōmika tu'ukimu'a mei he tamai 'o e 'ekonōmika fakatupú (economics of capitalism) mei Scotland: Adam Smith (Wealth of Nations, 1776), "Ko e lao 'o e nima ta'e-hāmaí" (Invincible Hand).
10) Ke tau'atāina 'a e tangatá ke fai 'e ne ngāue 'oku manako ki aí faka-taautahá. Pea 'i he 'e ne tau'atāiná, 'oku 'i ai 'a e ngaahi fatongia 'oku ha'isia ki ai 'e ne tu'umālié, pea 'e ma'u melia ai 'a hono fāmilí, pea tafeatu 'a e 'inasi (invincible hand) ki he sõsaietí.
11) Ko ia 'oku fakalao ke foaki 'e he ngaahi faamá 'a e tau'atāina 'a e kau ngāué, pea 'oku 'i ai 'a e fatongia 'o e kau ngāue kenau tauhi ki he ngaahi aleapau kuo nau tau'atāina kenau fakapapau ki ai.
12) Ko ia, poupouatu kia Ministā Vakatā 'i hono fakaava e matapā ke ma'u ngāue ai si'i kakai fiema'u ngāue 'o Tongá. Ke fetuku e tokolahitaha mei Tonga, he 'oku fe'au'auhimai 'a e ngaahi fonua kehekehe ki he ngaahi ngāue tatau.
Na'a mo'oni e lau 'a e kau papālangí: "Snooze, you lose." Tau matavalea kitautolu 'i he faka-fekikí he 'aho mo e pō, pea loltonga 'etau tāngulú, kuo ma'u faingamālie 'a e ngaahi fonua kehé ia.
Manatu'i e lau 'a e motu'a Ha'apai: "Fu'u lahi 'aupito e puhi fāvaí, ka 'oku fiema'u vavetahá 'a e fo'i tōpaí."
Mālō.