Leading horticulture body AUSVEG has welcomed the decision from the Australian government to reduce the tax rate for working holiday makers to a lower rate of 19 per cent, rather than the initial proposed rate of 32.5 per cent.
The decision comes following an inter-departmental government review into the ‘backpacker tax’ following widespread concerns that the tax would be a deterrent for holiday makers to work in Australia, and would deprive regional communities of a valuable source of income and labour.
“We’re pleased to see that the government has reconsidered the 32.5 per cent tax rate and listened to the significant concerns of Australia’s horticulture industry. This announcement provides an opportunity to reassure backpackers and growers alike,” said AUSVEG CEO Simon Bolles.
“The decision to reduce the tax rate from 32.5 per cent is a welcome relief for our industry and we are pleased to see a tax more in line with the rate that backpackers pay in New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom.”
“It remains to be seen what impact the revised tax rate will have on the number of backpackers coming to Australia, but we are thankful to the government for coming to a compromise position significantly lower than what was initially proposed. We will monitor backpacker numbers under the revised rate to see if backpacker numbers falter and whether further intervention is required.”
“Given the problems with how the tax was announced in the 2015 Budget, we would hope that the Australian Government will work closely with industry to educate and alleviate fear within the growing and backpacker community.”
“Australian growers need confidence that they will be able to access labour during peak seasonal periods so we look forward to the opportunity for further engagement with the Australian Government on effectively meeting our industry’s workforce needs into the future.”
AUSVEG is the national body representing Australia’s vegetable and potato growers and has publicly campaigned against the introduction of the backpacker tax. AUSVEG recently made representations on behalf of the vegetable and potato industries to all sides of politics in Canberra to relay the concerns about the proposed tax.
“We’re happy that the government has listened to the overwhelming concerns of Australian industry, and of rural and regional communities all around the country. We look forward to putting this uncertainty behind us to improve Australia’s reputation as a desirable destination for backpackers.”
For more information:
AUSVEG
www.ausveg.com.au





Announcements
Job Offers
- Export Sales Manager Europe Division
- Directors - New Zealand
- Nursery Production Manager Victoria Australia
- Technical Sales Consultant, Washington
- Export Sales Manager North America Exports
- Head Grower Hydroponic Greenhouse
- Account Manager – South-East Asia
- Vegetable Seed - EU Sales and Regional Manager
- Business Developer – High Tech Horticulture
- Operations Manager Organic Farm Barka Oman
"Tweeting Growers"
Top 5 -yesterday
- Coating with a helicopter
- Consuming environmentally sustainable food one beer at a time
- Vapor Pressure Deficit calculator app for indoor cultivation and greenhouses
- Fury at polyhouses installed without planning permission near Stafford
- US: Hydroponic farm signs partnership to deliver fresh lettuce year-round
Top 5 -last week
Top 5 -last month
- "Honduras greenhouse park to become the largest producer-exporter in the Central American region"
- Netherlands: Codema Systems Group declared bankrupt
- Shanghai: Young people who can't get vegetables start to "help themselves" through hydroponic vegetables
- Canada: Dutch holding company acquires Ontario Plants Propagation
- Google meets agriculture at Go Green Agriculture
Receive the daily newsletter in your email for free | Click here
Other news in this sector:
- 2022-05-20 Japan is looking to Morocco to help ensure its food security
- 2022-05-20 Soaring temperatures reflected in fruit and vegetable prices
- 2022-05-20 U.S. Dept of Labor recovers $225K in back wages for agri workers in California
- 2022-05-20 Will Artificial Intelligence and robotics usher in an era of sustainable precision agriculture?
- 2022-05-20 "Cauliflower season in Poland started without any delays"
- 2022-05-19 General Authority for Statistics: Prices of some goods up by 36%
- 2022-05-19 Soaring dollar rates affect Pakistan fruit and vegetable prices
- 2022-05-19 "At the end of the day, everyone has to pay a higher price for the gas”
- 2022-05-19 Climate change is already taking its toll on Spanish agriculture
- 2022-05-19 Berries become Mexico’s number one agri-food export product
- 2022-05-19 Significant increases in price for fruit this week; red cherries, seedless watermelons, Bartlett pears
- 2022-05-19 Viet Nam - U.S. Agricultural cooperation: reliability and mutual benefit
- 2022-05-19 Australian growers again see Queensland floods ruin crops
- 2022-05-18 Poland ranked third among EU countries, regarding strawberry production
- 2022-05-18 Malaysia: Modern farming popular with young agropreneurs
- 2022-05-18 Estonia: Tomato and cucumber production costs up
- 2022-05-18 Bangalore: Vegetables enter the 'Rs 100 club'
- 2022-05-18 Movement of Mexican asparagus crossing through Arizona, California and Texas expected to increase
- 2022-05-18 94.1% of the fruits and vegetables exported by Spain are transported by truck
- 2022-05-18 Australia: Union alliance and Woolworths partnership should support all workers