No employers, no employees.

Houston, we have a problem!

Let me rephrase that, Australia, we have a problem, and it’s a big one!

It seems that we’ve forgotten that in order to employ people, to give people “secure jobs, with better pay”, that first, our businesses need to turn a profit.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s fantastic to advocate for secure jobs and better pay, isn’t that what we are all striving for? A secure future and better pay – is exactly what Growcom wants for our growers in Queensland.

It’s just that until someone finds the magic wand, silver bullet or fairy dust, we need to spend some time and deep thought around how we plan on ensuring growers are profitable now and into the future.

Business 101 says you shouldn’t employ anyone until you can meet all your costs, pay yourself, know that there aren’t any perilous cash gaps ahead and have some money set aside.

Anyone know any growers who currently fall into this category?

Meanwhile, the Federal government is intending on passing their “secure jobs, better pay” bill this Saturday, a bill which, although has some merit in parts (such as gender equity and establishing expert panels for fair work ombudsman) has not been adequately consulted on in terms of agriculture. There’s a funny thing in government, consequences happen regardless of if they’re intended or unintended. The opportunity to stop these unintended consequences is only prior to a decision being made.

Three questions to ponder given we haven’t had time to discuss this matter in order to find a workable solution.  How many growers can afford to employ into the future? How many growers can afford not to? How will this impact Australia’s food security?

The irony that government is discussing food security on one hand and intending to pass a bill which may exacerbate both the likelihood and consequences of disruptive industrial action in the food and fibres supply chains with the other, is almost too much for growers who have already endured so much this year.

Growcom is not alone in its concerns. “I do think that the government is treating the parliamentary processes with some degree of contempt by rushing this through…We’re concerned about … the potential for small business to be steamrolled into these arrangements, which are unsuitable to them and gives their big competitors a commercial advantage,” National Farmers’ Federation workforce committee chair Tony York told a Senate hearing into the bill.