Michael is joined by John Alexander, Liberal member for Bennelong, says there is some merit in a proposal put forward by the Refugee Council of Australia to offer the 17,000 people in Australia on two classes of refugee visas an easier path to residency in exchange for helping out.

Mr Alexander, who is part of a parliamentary committee to find solutions to the produce picker shortage, says it “seems like a reasonable idea”.

“We should be seeking willing participants in agriculture wherever we can”.

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen tens of thousands of backpackers locked out of Australia leaving fruit & vegetables at risk of rotting in the fields.

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