Labour mobility in the Pacific: creating seasonal work programs in Australia

As part of a wider research project conducted with the Institute for Social Research of Swinburne University, this chapter will briefly discuss the role of remittances in Pacific economies and development, before outlining a proposal for a pilot program of seasonal work for Islanders in Australia’s horticulture industry. It will discuss Canada’s Seasonal Agricultural Workers’ Program (CSAWP) as a model for seasonal work programs, but will look at a range of issues — concerning regulation, labour rights and social impacts — that would need to be addressed if seasonal work schemes were to operate without evoking memories of blackbirding. [Introduction]