Improved worker preparation for employment within the meat processing industry in Australia will generate increased demand, as well as provide higher wages for PNG workers in Australia.
The announcement was made after a visit to the Kilcoy Global Foods’ modern meat processing operations outside of Brisbane, in Australia, yesterday, who earlier this year, mobilised 41 workers from PNG under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme.
“The PNG Labour Mobility Unit (LMU) are keen to introduce the appropriate curriculum adopted in Australia for PNG, for the accreditation of our meat workers wishing to work in Australia, to give them the very best opportunity to both, gaining employment and maximising their wages,” said Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey.
He said in this regard, he would seek an audience with the relevant oversight Minister from both the Australian and Queensland governments, to determine how this can best be achieved, including meeting with the Australian Meat Processor Corporation, who are research and development specialists for the industry, including training.
“I was pleased to have met several workers from NCD, Central, Manus and Chimbu provinces, who whilst expressing that working in such clean and modern facilities was hard work, it was, nevertheless, a privileged opportunity to gain employment and experience to further their careers and work opportunities.”
All 41 workers, who are nearing their 5-6 months on site, have signed long term contracts of three years and are employed as meat processers under entry level one (1) job classification. The job duties include cleaning, grinding, packaging meat all the way to sorting meat and labeling packages.