Sunday 4 October 2026
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NT mango farmers warn fruit could rot as working holiday visa cuts loom

Backpackers will need to enter a ballot for second-year visas under changes announced by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Northern Territory mango farmer Saramat "Tou" Ruchkaew says fruit could be left to rot on her 85,000-tree farm outside Darwin following cuts to Australia's working holiday visa program. The changes, announced by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke last week, mean backpackers will have to enter a ballot to remain in Australia for more than 12 months, with second-year visas capped at 45,000 and third-year visas limited to just 5,000 — about 38,000 fewer backpackers than in 2026.

Ms Ruchkaew said the reduced numbers would be devastating for the agriculture sector. "This is a big, big issue for the farming community," she said. "The mango industry needs 2,500 people per season … [backpackers] work hard, make money, move on." She questioned the logic of the changes: "Why fix something that's not broken?"

Under the current system, backpackers who complete 88 days of specified regional work during their first year can extend their visa. While first-year working holiday visas are not being reduced, farmers fear backpackers may skip regional work if it no longer guarantees a second year. Ms Ruchkaew said backpackers are telling her, "If we work 88 days, then we don't get in the ballot, why would I? I'm here to have a good time."

Rebecca Koivu, a Finnish backpacker visiting Australia, is considering entering the ballot to stay for a second year but worries about farm labour. "I feel like all the farms are going to suffer because so many of my friends are doing that right now," she said. "They're only doing it for the opportunity for the second and third years."

NT Mango Industry Association president Leo Skrilos called the ballot idea "lunacy". "Are we running a casino or a country? Are they picking names out of a hat?" He described the government's move as a "knee-jerk reaction" to One Nation's recent surge in the polls on the back of that party's hard-line stance on immigration.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The cuts threaten the labour supply for Australia's mango industry, which requires 2,500 workers per season in the NT alone, potentially leaving fruit to rot.
  • Backpackers may choose not to do regional work if a second year is no longer guaranteed, disrupting farm businesses nationwide.
  • The policy shift reflects political pressure on immigration but risks collateral damage to regional economies.

Background

Australia's working holiday visa program has long allowed backpackers to extend their stay by completing regional work. The changes announced by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke introduce a ballot for second-year visas and sharply reduce the number of visas available. Industry groups say the move appears driven by political calculations after One Nation's rise in opinion polls, rather than evidence of problems with the current system.

Key Perspectives

Farmers (NT Mango Industry Association, individual growers): They rely on backpackers for seasonal harvest labour and warn the changes will cause labour shortages. President Leo Skrilos says the ballot system is "lunacy" and a "knee-jerk reaction". Backpackers: Some like Rebecca Koivu say they may abandon regional work if the guarantee of a second year is removed, as the work is only undertaken for the visa extension. The Federal Government (Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke): The government has announced the changes but has not commented directly in this article. The caps and ballot are intended to reduce overall backpacker numbers.

What to Watch

  • Whether the ballot creates labour shortages during the upcoming mango season (typically October to February).
  • Political reaction from regional MPs and the Coalition, as well as whether One Nation's stance shifts.
  • Backpacker behaviour: will the number of first-year arrivals completing regional work decline significantly?

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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