As the autumn harvest season begins, Australian horticulture is reportedly facing a crisis. According to a website set up by the National Farmers Federation — where farmers can anonymously self-report crop losses — farmers have lost over $45 million since December last year. A shortage of pickers, they claim, means that crops are rotting in the fields.

The farming industry and their political allies argue that the only solution is to allow the immediate return of international workers. This has dovetailed with a conservative narrative accusing unemployed Australians of being work-shy.

According to the CEO of the national peak body for vegetable growers: “Whether we like it or not . . . we just simply can’t get Australians to do [farmwork].” In July last year, federal agriculture minister David Littleproud agreed: “Even when our social security payment for the dole was $550 a fortnight, we couldn’t get people off the couch to go and pick fruit.”