The future of the PALM scheme, the Albanese government's answer for industry’s calls to provide visas with working rights, is set to plummet in popularity with the Australian horticulture industry.

This is the concern being raised by Nathan Hancock, CEO of Citrus Australia over the conflicting decisions of multiple ministries involved in labour and immigration policy.

Mr Hancock says that following a short 10-day consultation period the government looks set to introduce a raft of changes to the PALM Deed and Guidelines which reflect a disconnect between the outcomes sought by industry, Pacific Island Nations and the multiple ministries of the Albanese government that are ‘managing’ the scheme.

“The citrus industry has long been supporters of the PALM scheme in all its forms, workers from Pacific Island Nations have been able to come to Australia and realise work opportunities not available to them in their home countries, often returning to build new homes and improve their communities from their earnings,” Mr Hancock said.

“However, from those early days to today, successive governments have whittled away at the opportunity, systematically increasing red tape and reducing flexibility of the scheme.

“These latest changes, especially the requirement for a guarantee of a minimum 30 hours per week, shows the Albanese government has zero understanding of the realities of farm work and the impact weather can have on the picking and packing of fresh produce.”

In the case of citrus, a winter crop which cannot be harvested wet, it will mean growers who can't have their fruit picked for days in a row due to rain will be in breach of the deed because they can't offer a minimum of 30 hours per week.

“This can only have an inflationary effect on the cost of food as pickers are paid for not picking the fruit because it’s rained and then for picking it too,” Mr Hancock added.

Industry had previously supported 30-hour minimum to be averaged over eight weeks, which gives flexibility for the grower to provide the worker minimum hours over the eight weeks of a season. Mr Hancock said in reality, when the weather is kind, workers can average many more hours of work over that period.

“It is clear to the industry bodies who have engaged over many years with previous consultations and reviews, that this government has too many agendas it is trying to satisfy and none of them recognise that the horticulture industry, which has the greatest uptake of PALM workers, will be impacted the most by these changes.

“In effect they’re gambling with the future of the PALM scheme, putting workers futures at risk, causing employers to walk away and throwing the industry into turmoil as there’s no viable alternative being offered,” Mr Hancock said.