Rt Hon Helen Clark
Prime Minister
more
Rt Hon Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs
more
Hon Phil Goff
Minister of Trade
Minister for Trade Negotiations
Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control
more
Today's launch of the Recognised Seasonal Employer programme for the horticulture and viticulture industries is welcomed by Horticulture New Zealand.
RSE is the result of several years of discussion and consultation between government, industry, government agencies, community groups and the employers themselves, via the Seasonal Labour Strategy Governance Group.
"We are delighted the group has been able to bring to life a programme, designed by horticulture and viticulture employers, for them," says Horticulture New Zealand President Andrew Fenton.
"We congratulate the members of the Governance Group who have personally worked very hard to achieve this outcome today.
"However, their work is not over, as they are continuing to concentrate on a whole range of issues around seasonal labour.
"We are particularly concerned at the potential loss of the Seasonal Work Permit in September this year which has been signalled along with the release of the RSE programme.
"HortNZ would like more discussion on the continuation of the SWP as it meets the short term spikes during harvest periods and should be managed in concert with the RSE scheme," Andrew says.
The horticulture industry contributes $2.3 billion in export earnings, and produces another $2.5 billion in fruit and vegetables consumed at home.
"The RSE programme has positive implications for growers who struggle, year after year, to find enough seasonal workers," Andrew says.
"When demand for labour exceeds the available New Zealand workforce, it is of enormous benefit to growers to have other avenues to recruit staff.
"Without the right number of workers, it is much harder to meet market demands for the highest quality produce, at exactly the right times."
