Francie Perry's guest appearances

Francie Perry

Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Katrina Shanks

Michelle Dickinson

Michael Rowland

Mike Moore

Paula Bennett

Diana Sarfati

Kelvin Davis

Charles Croucher

Auckland Transport

Judith Collins

Gareth Kiernan

Dale Kirk

Tony Alexander

Chris Bishop

Jonathan Ives

OwlTail

A strawberry producer wants the Government to let in overseas pickers to fill shortages ahead of the upcoming season.Perry's Berries director, Francie Perry says when it comes to New Zealanders, they get people who are enthusiastic but find the work physically too hard.She told Kate Hawkesby the concern is because they're so short of pickers, they're setting people up to fail."We know some people are probably not going to be fit enough, but what are thr options, because we don't have enough people to do the job."Perry says they have exhausted all avenues looking for Kiwi workers and backpackers, and after working with the Ministry of Social Development through Work and Income, they had 16 inquiries, of which only eight have registered.LISTEN ABOVE

A strawberry producer wants the Government to let in overseas pickers to fill shortages ahead of the upcoming season. Perry's Berries director, Francie Perry says when it comes to New Zealanders, they get people who are enthusiastic but find the work physically too hard. She told Kate Hawkesby the concern is because they're so short of pickers, they're setting people up to fail. "We know some people are probably not going to be fit enough, but what are thr options, because we don't have enough people to do the job." Perry says they have exhausted all avenues looking for Kiwi workers and backpackers, and after working with the Ministry of Social Development through Work and Income, they had 16 inquiries, of which only eight have registered. LISTEN ABOVE

Francie Perry: Strawberry producer pleas for additional workers to fill shortages

Relief for both employers and people on temporary work visas.The Government's announced some short-term changes to visa settings.Temporary work visas due to expire by the end of the year will be extended by six months.The national announcement was made by Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway.Lees-Galloway also announced the cap on the number of workers allowed into NZ scheme will no longer rise as intended next year.Each year up to 14,400 workers, mainly from Pacific Island nations, arrive in New Zealand to fill seasonal labour shortages in the horticulture and viticulture industries.Lees-Galloway said around 9000 seasonal workers were still in New Zealand, a number of those stranded with no flights home and no way to support themselves after the harvest season had ended.Maleko Sole, RSE workers' spokesman working on the stables at Hawke's Bay Showgrounds, Hastings in June. Photo / Warren Buckland"The Government is supporting Pacific Island governments to repatriate their citizens but many are expected to remain in New Zealand for some time," he said."RSE visas limit workers to specific work, which is now drying up."The RSE scheme is part of our special relationship with the Pacific. As a country, we have a responsibility to support these workers and their employers, whose pastoral care responsibilities include accommodation for the workers."The responsibility remained with RSE employers to comply with employment law and pastoral care requirements, he said."We are facing a rise in unemployment among New Zealanders and we expect more New Zealanders to be available for work next season," said Lees-Galloway."For this reason, the Government has decided to keep the RSE scheme annual cap at 14,400 for the next year."This is not what we originally announced and planned but we anticipate that more New Zealanders will be available to do this work next year so we could not justify another increase of the cap as we originally planned."I want to give employers in the horticulture and viticulture industries as much certainty as possible in uncertain times, so I have taken the decision now even though next seasons workers will only be able to enter New Zealand when it is safe to relax border restrictions.Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Mike Chapman said while HortNZ welcomed increased government support and flexibility for RSE workers who are still in New Zealand waiting for repatriation back to the Pacific, the decisions should have come a lot earlier."We really needed these government decisions three months ago," Chapman said."While local communities have rallied to support RSE workers, government's delays have caused RSE workers and their employers unnecessary anxiety and cost."Chapman said out of the approximately 9000 RSE workers still in New Zealand, 4000 were waiting to get home."'Summerfruit NZ, NZ Apples and Pears, NZ Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated and HortNZ have worked in partnership with the Government to find ways to get these workers home safely and as quickly as possible," he said."More than 1000 RSE workers have made it home thanks to these efforts, which continue."He said while it was good these workers were now going home, it was important the RSE scheme, operating for more than 10 years, continued as it supported both New Zealand and the Pacific nations."As horticulture spearheads New Zealand post-Covid recovery, skilled RSE workers in similar numbers to this year will be needed to complement the New Zealanders entering the horticulture industry for the first time," Chapman said."At the same time, the RSE scheme is vital to the Pacific. The scheme enables these workers to earn money to support their families back home, set up businesses, and build storm-proof houses, schools and community facilities."From July 1, struggling foreign nationals could also apply for assistance to meet basic needs including food and accommodation, with the aid of DIA and Red Cross.New Zealand R...

Relief for both employers and people on temporary work visas. The Government's announced some short-term changes to visa settings. Temporary work visas due to expire by the end of the year will be extended by six months. The national announcement was made by Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. Lees-Galloway also announced the cap on the number of workers allowed into NZ scheme will no longer rise as intended next year. Each year up to 14,400 workers, mainly from Pacific Island nations, arrive in New Zealand to fill seasonal labour shortages in the horticulture and viticulture industries. Lees-Galloway said around 9000 seasonal workers were still in New Zealand, a number of those stranded with no flights home and no way to support themselves after the harvest season had ended. Maleko Sole, RSE workers' spokesman working on the stables at Hawke's Bay Showgrounds, Hastings in June. Photo / Warren Buckland "The Government is supporting Pacific Island governments to repatriate their citizens but many are expected to remain in New Zealand for some time," he said. "RSE visas limit workers to specific work, which is now drying up. "The RSE scheme is part of our special relationship with the Pacific. As a country, we have a responsibility to support these workers and their employers, whose pastoral care responsibilities include accommodation for the workers." The responsibility remained with RSE employers to comply with employment law and pastoral care requirements, he said. "We are facing a rise in unemployment among New Zealanders and we expect more New Zealanders to be available for work next season," said Lees-Galloway. "For this reason, the Government has decided to keep the RSE scheme annual cap at 14,400 for the next year. "This is not what we originally announced and planned but we anticipate that more New Zealanders will be available to do this work next year so we could not justify another increase of the cap as we originally planned. "I want to give employers in the horticulture and viticulture industries as much certainty as possible in uncertain times, so I have taken the decision now even though next seasons workers will only be able to enter New Zealand when it is safe to relax border restrictions. Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Mike Chapman said while HortNZ welcomed increased government support and flexibility for RSE workers who are still in New Zealand waiting for repatriation back to the Pacific, the decisions should have come a lot earlier. "We really needed these government decisions three months ago," Chapman said. "While local communities have rallied to support RSE workers, government's delays have caused RSE workers and their employers unnecessary anxiety and cost." Chapman said out of the approximately 9000 RSE workers still in New Zealand, 4000 were waiting to get home. "'Summerfruit NZ, NZ Apples and Pears, NZ Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated and HortNZ have worked in partnership with the Government to find ways to get these workers home safely and as quickly as possible," he said. "More than 1000 RSE workers have made it home thanks to these efforts, which continue." He said while it was good these workers were now going home, it was important the RSE scheme, operating for more than 10 years, continued as it supported both New Zealand and the Pacific nations. "As horticulture spearheads New Zealand post-Covid recovery, skilled RSE workers in similar numbers to this year will be needed to complement the New Zealanders entering the horticulture industry for the first time," Chapman said. "At the same time, the RSE scheme is vital to the Pacific. The scheme enables these workers to earn money to support their families back home, set up businesses, and build storm-proof houses, schools and community facilities." From July 1, struggling foreign nationals could also apply for assistance to meet basic needs including food and accommodation, with the aid of DIA and Red Cross. New Zealand R...

Francie Perry: Visa changes to help stranded seasonal workers announced