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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Poupou atu fieilo, 'oku mo'oni ho'o lau. He'ikai 'osi e palopalema ia Mokofisi, ka 'e lava 'o fakasi'isi'i, 'oka fai ha ngaue kiai. Ko e palopalema tatau pe 'ena na'e hoko 'i NZ ni kimu'a. Na'e fokotu'u ai 'e Lisiate 'Akolo (Minisita Leipa he taimi koiaa) ha ongo liaison officers 'e 2 ko Sefita Hao'uli mo Tevita Niu Lata kena siofi e ngaahi palopalema, pea tokoni'i e fanau tolii, fakafetu'utaki mo faka'ulungaanga. Na'e a'u 'ona fale'i ke fakafoki e ni'ihi faihia mo 'ulungaanga fulikivanu 'e ni'ihi, pea na'e fakalaka lahi 'aupito e fo'i nga'unu koia. Pea 'oku na kei ngaue pe 'i NZ ni. Ka 'oku kei hala 'a 'Aositelelia ia moha liaison officer, pea koe fielau 'enau palopalema'ia. Koe ngaahi fakakaukau pehee masi'i Mokofisi 'oku fiema'uu, pea 'oku laka ange ke fakamoleki e $ toutou folau 'a e Minisita 'i ha liaison officer pehee, kae fakahaofi mo fakatupulaki e industry ma'u'anga pa'anga ko 'eni ke loloa atu mo tolonga.
Faka'osi, kuo ke heke hake 'eni 'o talamai 'oku fakamole taimi 'enau fakaanga. Hala 'ataa ha'o kau ai, pea tuku pe 'e koe kenau kohikohi ai hei'ilo na'a 'aonga ki he Minisita pe Pule'anga. Vahevahe mai ha fo'i fakatuputupulangi mei hena ketau 'inasi ai, pea 'ai foki e loto ke 'amio kae ifo 'etau felaafoakii. -
'E 'IKAI KEMOU LAVA 'O SOLOVA E PALOPALEMA KOTOA 'OKU MOU FANONGO AI 'I HE MĪTIÁ...Ko e fehālaaki lahitaha ia 'i he ngaahi talanoá, pea ko Sisu pe tene lava 'o veteki.
LOLOTONGA KO IÁ, 'oku fiema'u ke ngāue 'a e kakai kenau tokonimai ki honau ngaahi fāmili 'i Tongá ni. 'Oku 'ikai ha ngaahi ngāue pehē 'i Tongá ni.
'Alu koe FIE'ILO 'o fakatotolo e fakaikiiki 'o e ngaahi palopalemá pe 'e solova 'afe'ia. Kuo maau ho'o fokeotu'utu'ú, pea ke me'a atu ā 'o fakatotolo'i. Ka ko e fiema'u lolotonga 'a e kakai tokolahitaha kenau folauatu 'o ma'u ngāue lolotonga 'oku kei ava 'a e matapā.
'IKAI 'OKU FAKA-MOLE TAIMI HO'O MOU FAKAANGÁ. -
Maloo Fie'ilo hono to'o hake e poini fo'ou mo mahu'inga koeni ke feinga'i ha matapaa ki he semi/ skilled labour hange ko ia ne ke lave ki ai hange ko e neesi mo e faiako etc. 'Oku mahu'inga eni he'e lava kenau nofo fonua ai pea kau lelei ki he ngaahi famili fakafo'ituitui pea toe sai ange ai e tokoni fakaseniti ki Tonga he ko e huu'anga pa'anga lahi taha 'a e fonua 'a e pa'anga talafi mei muli 'ehe ngaahi famili. ko e toli 'oku sai pee ia ka 'oku seasonal, seniti 'ikai ke lahi pea 'ikai ha faingamalie ke nau nofo ai tukukehe kapau te nau mali, pea ko e seniti si'isi'i ma'u he faingata'a pea fakataimi pe.
Kapau te tau sio ki he seniti 'oku ma'u he'e neesi polofesinale for example, $2,000 per week fakahoa ki he $200 - $500 he uike 'a e toko taha toli. Toli ee he la'a moe 'uha ka e ngaue neesi mo e faiako he fale aircon. Pea ma'u faingamalie e neesi mo e faiako 'o kai lelei, ako lelei 'enau ki'i fanau nofo he me'a lelei ka e fakala'a tokotaha pe motu'a toli he mahina 'e 6 'osi pea foki pee ki he me'a tatau 'i Tonga. Mahalo ko e me'a ia 'oku 'uhinga ki ai 'a mokofisi ke feinga'i ke lau mano e kau toli. Faka'ofo'ofa ka 'oku fakataimi pea ta'epau pe ko e haa hono loloa .
Ko e palopolema lahi 'oe pule'anga Temo he 'oku taki taha feinga pee 'a e kau fakafofonga ia ke ma'u vave e faingamalie ke ma'u ha melie ma'a honau ngaahi vahenga mo 'ata lelei honau 'imisi he ko e taimi nounou pee pea nau huu nautolu ki tu'a ko e kaha'u mama'o ia 'oku 'ikai ko hanau palopolema ia 'onautolu, pea 'oku nau mo'oni pee kinautolu he ko e natula ia e politiki mo e Pule Fakatemokalati. Neongo ko e pehee ko e fili nautolu 'ehe kakai ka ko e ki'i falukunga kakai pee ne fili 'ia nautolu 'oku nau taliui ki ai. pea hange ko e talanoa ki he maumau 'a e 'Otumotuanga'ofa ko e 'alu ki Niua, ko e temokalati ia ko e taliui e fakafofonga ki Niua ka e 'ikai ko Tonga kotoa. Pea ka maumau ai lao 'oku malu'iia 'ehe tototnu fakafalealea.
'I hono fakahoa ki he ngaahi maa'imoa na'e fai 'e Tupou 4 'i he 'ene ngaahi ha'ele holo, na'e 'alu 'o feinga ma'a Tonga kotoa ka na'e 'ikai 'alu ia 'o feinga pee ma'a Kolomotu'a. Ko e kau Minisitaa na'a ne to'o mai e kakai na'e teu'i he'e fonua pea mahino na'a nau angai moe ngaahi fohe, na'e 'ikai fakalai ia ki he kau minisitaa pea neongo na'e 'iai pee ngaahi tonounou ka na'e sio 'a e pule'anga ki he lelei fakalukufua, na'e 'ikai ha fakaniua pee ha fakavava'u ka ko e MA'A TONGA KOTOA.
Ko e folau 'a e kau Temokalati mahalo 'oku lahi e taimi ia 'oku 'ikai fai ha femahino'aki lelei ia mo e ngaahi fonua 'oku nau folau ki ai pe ko e haa koaa tefito'i kaveinga 'o e folau, mahalo ko e 'uhinga ia 'e taha 'o e toutou folau ko e kalasi 6 tu'olahi., ka 'oku mahalo ko e fo'i topiki kehe ia eee.
Kaikehe 'oku mahu'inga e talanga 'oku fai 'e Fie'ilo sai ketau 'ilo na'a ke school. -
Kii tafaaki tama eni ne ikai research kiai a Mokofisi. Kii poini hoo tuki au fieilo he foi takai koeni.
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Fakamalo ki he kau lafo mai he kaveinga ni. 'Ikai foki 'uhinga hono fehu'ia e Minisita ke ta'ofi ai hono fetuku 'etau kau tolii ki 'Aositelelia. Ko e poini ia, ke fai ha ngaue fakamaaotao ki he ngaahi palopalema lolotonga, he 'oku fu'u lahi. eg. (i) kei kakaa'i pe 'e he kau employer 'e ni'ihi e kau tolii, neongo ne 'os to'o e laiseni 'a e ni'ihi. (ii) 'ikai fakamatala'i mahino ki he kau tolii 'enau aleapau & ngaahi to'o lalahi he'enau vahee, (iii) 'ikai 'ave 'enau super, etc. Pea ne 'osi 'ave tonu hano lipooti moha presentation 'o e me'a ni 'e Falepaini Prescott Maile ki he Kapineti pea talu ai.
Pea mou vakai ange, koe toki foki mai 'ena e Minisita mei 'Aositelelia 'o talamai 'oku hoha'a pe ke tidy up e palopalema, ka koe FWA, Ombudsman, & Employment Dept. 'ena 'a Aositelelia 'oku nau 'iai pe. Te'eki keu sio he Minisita fa'a folau alea toli mo'oni he lalo langi ni, pea ne 'osi 'ohake tonu pe 'i he ngaahi feme'a'aki 'i Fale Alea.
'Oku malie mo faka'ohovale e poupou fefeka 'a Mokofisi kia Fe'ao ke fetuku e kau tolii ke laumano honau tokolahi. Masi'i Moko, koe toko 2,179 'ena 'oku nau lolotonga 'i 'Aositelelia, pea 'oku palopalema'ia atu e ni'ihi.ai. Malo moe ngaahi famili Tonga, 'api siasi & ngaahi Kalapu Kava Tonga 'e ni'ihi kenau unga atu ai. Kei fakatatali atu mo e toko 1,000 ke 'ave moia. Fiema'u lahi ke filifili lelei, solova e palopalema, pea tau sio loloa na'a fu'u tokolahi kovi kae toe mole hotau faingamalie. Kae 'ikai koe laku tavale atu pe kenau 'alu, tokua he 'oku masiva mo ta'ema'u ngaue 'a Tonga ni.
Kuo laka he ta'u 'e 4 e Minisita 'a Fe'ao he Potungaue ni mo e kei fakafalala ai pe hono fetuku e kau 'unskilled' labours, ka kuo fuoloa e taimi ketau nga'unu hake aa 'o alea'i mo 'ave 'etau kau 'semiskilled' labours etc. ke 'aonga 'etau kau ako kuo nau 'osi ma'u practical experience, certificates, diplomas, etc. mei he 'etau ngaahi 'apiako vocational 'i Tonga ni. Kau atu kiai mo 'etau kau registered nurses & teachers 'o under he labour mobility etc. etc.
Faka'osi, kuo fuoloa hono idendify 'ona e ngaahi palopalema, ka 'oku fiema'u leva ke solova telia na'a mole hotau faingamalie. Taimi tatau 'oku fiema'u ke faka'aonga'i lelei 'etau tukuhau. Kae 'ikai koe folau folau folau pe, pea foki mai 'o hope hope hope atu ke fefee'i koaa. -
POUPOU KIA MINISITĀ VAKATĀ...fiema'u ke fakaava e matapā ke tokolahi e kau ngāue toll 'i NZ mo Aostelēliá.
'Oku lahi e palopalema 'a e kau toll, pea lahi pe mo e kakai 'oku nau ma'u faingamālieange 'i he polokalamá ni.
'O kapau na'a te fakapikopiko pe 'i Tongá ni, 'e fai pe 'a e fakapikopiko tatau 'i muli. Fakalelei'i 'a e ngaahi palopalemá, ka 'oku mahu'ingaange ke fetuku e kakai ki muli, he 'oku masiva ma'u'anga ngāue pa'anga 'aTongá ni.
Hokoatu koe Minisitā Vakatā. Fetuku e kakai ke lau-mano honau tokolahí. Tuku e kau puhi fāvaí kenau puhi hoe atu pe. -
Tuku ho'o fakatupu'ita ki he Minisitaa na'a tolongi 'aki ko e ha ipu sio'ata. Ko e ngaue lahi faufaua 'a e 'eva vakapuna mo e popotalanoa, ngaue vahe lahi taha ia 'i Tonga pea toe fakatupu mahaki foki, ko e 'uhinga he 'oku calculate ma'u pe 'atamai ia folau ki fee 'afee fiha 'e ma'u ai ko hai 'oku 'i fee ke nofo atu ai.
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Fieilo ku fakaamu e Minisita ne lava o sio mai kia koe ka tali mai aki hoo palakalafi fonu ihe moonii meaa ha iposo'ata hhahahaha
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'E Minisita, kataki 'o tomu'a fai ha ngaue ki he palopalema 'oku lolotonga faingata'a'ia ai e kau toli 'i 'Aositelelia. Kae toki hoko atu ki hano fakatokolahi e kau tolii. Hange kiate au 'oku ke tokanga pe koe ke tokolahi 'a e kau toli 'e lava o 'ave, ke 'asi sai ai ho'o Potungaue. Pea keke takai atu o 'eva mo ho'o kau 'Ofisa 'oku lahilahi mai 'enau lukuluku'i ho'omou fanga ki'i silaa. Tomu'a vete honau palopalema lolotonga hange koia na'e 'osi fakahoko atu 'e Falepaini Prescott Maile, kae toki fika 2 fakatokolahi atu. Haa hono 'aonga e toutou folau mo per diem lahi, kae 'ikai ha ngaue 'e fai.