Olgeta harem nogud blong ol Ni-Vanuatu Seasonal Wokman long Australia olsem low pei, nogat enaf wok haoa mo bigfala deduction long pay hemi reis long Palemen blong Australia long Canberra.

I gat wan delegesen blong United Workers Union long Australia oli tekem ol welfare isu ia i ko long ol Minista, ol Memba blong Palemen blong Kavman mo Opposition blong Australia long wik ia.

Wan Memba blong United Workers Union we i stap wok anda Pacific Labour Mobility Scheme, David Patunvanu i talem se hemi festaem we oli harem ol fes hand storian long ol wokman we oli kamaot long farm.

“Bigwan we mifala i resem hemi mifala i ko tru fulap isu blong low pei, i nogat enaf haoa blong wok mo ol bigfala amaon blong deduction we ol kontrakta i stap karemaot long pei blong ol wokman we oli entitle long hem,” Mr Patunvanu i talemaot long VBTC Nius.

“So hemia nao hemi lid i ko long bigfala tinktink we yumi stap harem long Vanuatu se fulap wokman oli kam long Australia mo oli stap ronwe. Mifala i biliv tru long ol research mo funding se mein kos blong ronwe, 90% hemi man i no lukluk long wokman long field blong harem ol harem nogud blong olgeta. Ol kontrakta oli pusum olgeta asaed, i nogat man i stap blong lisen long olgeta espeseli long isu blong i nogat enaf haoa, i nogat enaf inkam blong mitim expense blong liv long Australia, diman blong famili bak long hom mo semtaem bigfala amaon blong deduction.

“Mo oli nid blong harem ol fes hand storian long field, so mifala i karem wetem mifala long delegation ia sam wokman we oli stap ol isu ia long farm. Mifala i mit wetem ol frantline wantaem ia olsem Minista blong Employment, Pacific, Trade, agriculture, mifala i even mit wetem sam back bencher, ol national mo olgeta long Opposition blong pasem tinktink ia raon se yes i kat sam isu ia mo nid blong wok tugeta to impruvum.”

Mr Patunvanu i talem se tu wokman i pat long delegation blong sherem ol storian ia.

“Yumi kat wan sista blong Pentecost, nem blem Elcy Lehi we i kamoat long vilij blong Abwatuntora long Not Pentecost, hemi bin wok long sam farm olbaot long Queensland. Wan nara brata nem blong hem Manu Neil Jones hemi blong Mele mo hemi ripresentem ol wokman we oli wok long ol farm olbaot long Australia. So wan dei trip blong mifala i ko long Palemen haos tete hemi blong involvem tufala blong stori long isu,” Mr Patunvanu i talemaot.

” Wan long olgeta i serem experiens blong olgeta we eight gel i live insaed long wan kontena mo pei oli mas deductem 150 dolla long wan wik. So imagine eight gel ia 150 kamaot, mo amas oli left wetem. Famili i ring long Vanuatu from skul fi, ded mo mared hem i left wetem nothing.

“Nara brata i storian long experiens blong hem we hemi mas kakae bread mo noodles blong tri manis from se hemi nogat wan wok. Hemi liv wetem 50 dola evri wik blong survive long next wok. So yes i kat bigfala wok blong yumi wok tugeta.”

Mr Patunvanu i talem se hemi wok blong evriwan blong wok tugeta blong adresem welfare ia mo i no labour nomo.

Hemi talem se i kat seven tinktink we oli presentem long Canberra Palemen Chamber. I kat low inkam, ol ples blong slip i sas, wokman i mas kat akses long fri medicare, Pathway to Permenancy, wan system blong harem ol komplen blong ol Ni-Vanuatu seasonal wokman, deduction long entitle pay mo wok haoa.

“Long en blem mifala i risivim ol aknowledgemen, mo strong toktok long ol minista taem ol rispon. Hemi emotional taem yu arem ol minista oli sek mo sapraes long ol story we i kamaot long field mo talem tannkiu tumas from oli neva harem,” Mr Patunvanu i talemaot.

“Oli kam blong talem tankiu long ol wokman we sam oli kobak vinis long Vanuatu mo sam oli stap yet Australia from ol fruit mo kakae we olI stap pikim ap long Australia.”

Mr Patunvanu i talem tankiu long wok blong Vanuatu blong mekem noise vinis long isu ia mo naoia oli jes soem wetem pruf.

“Wan minista i talem se bae hemi tritim ol kakae ia i difren from hemi no isi blong kasem table blong hem mo kakae. Fulap oli talem se oli taet blong ridim ripot mo oli wantem stret storian,” Mr Patunvanu i talem.

Mr Patunvanu i biliv se bae i kat jens from taem oli vinis miting nomo, Minista blong Agriculture blong Australia i ko insaed long miting mo talemaot experiens ia long ful haos.

“Yumi ol Ni- Vanuatu i mas wok kolosap wetem United Workers Union Australia mo mifala i save olsem se fulap wokman oli no memba yet. Moa yumi kam tugeta, bae yumi help blong mekem jens long scheme ia mo from tete Kavman blong Australia hemi Labour so yumi ia nao . So evri memba ol disisen yu mekem , yu kam grup from good blong yumi evriwan blong mekem jens.”

Mr Patunvanu i talem se wan rod blong karem atensen blong ol bigman blong Australia hemi blong evri wokman i kam tugeta mo sherem wan tinktink.