As a result of changes in government policy, Australian abattoirs are transitioning from the use of skilled temporary entry visas to the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme and soon the new Agriculture Visa to recruit meat workers from overseas.
This will substantially increase the risk of exploitation and abuse and decrease the wages paid to these workers.
With these visas, we are rapidly approaching the slavery-like conditions that have existed for decades for migrant workers in North America and Europe.
