Current News

You are invited to the 2019 National Biosecurity Forum on Wednesday 27 November 2019 in Canberra at the National Museum of Australia. This is a joint event hosted by the NBC and the Australian Government Department of Agriculture.

The National Biosecurity Forum is an opportunity to discuss biosecurity challenges, achievements and future directions directly with government and a broad range of industry and community representatives.

Participants will hear updates from the Australian Government and industry and committee representatives.

Click here for more information and to register for this event.

Just a reminder that Labour hire providers have until 29 October 2019 to apply for a licence with the Authority to continue operating in Victoria. Providers who submit an application before 30 October 2019 may continue to operate until a decision is made on their application.

From 30 October 2019, hosts must only use licensed labour hire providers or providers who have applied for a licence before 30 October 2019 and have not had their application refused. 

Hosts are encouraged to visit the Authority's website to check whether providers have submitted an application or have been granted a licence.

Hosts Responsibilities
Unfortunately, some organisations are requiring all their service providers to obtain labour hire licences without considering whether the arrangement is for the provision of labour hire services, and in some circumstances hosts are requiring their service providers to provide confirmation that a labour hire licence is not necessary. 

Hosts should refer to the Authority’s website, the Act and Regulations to consider whether their own arrangements are for the provision of labour hire services.
If hosts are still unsure, they should consider seeking their own legal advice. Hosts should not be requiring their service providers to provide letters of exemption or confirmation that a licence is not required as the Authority cannot provide these.

To find out more about host obligations, please visit the Authority's website

When: Sun., 27 October 2019, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Where: Blue Tongue Berries- 445 Northwood Road, Seymour, VIC 3660
Cost: Workshop FREE, Lunch $15 ORICoop members, $25 non members

This free 2 hour workshop is being offered by ORICoop to all who grow fruit and vegetables: including commercial, backyard & small scale growers.

You will hear from guest speaker David Hardwick from 'Soil Land Food - A master in ecological agriculture + have the chance to ask questions from an expert panel of organic food producers who will share their insights on what has and hasn't worked for them.

Click here for more information, or to register...

AGRICULTURAL employers have been granted new options by the Australian Taxation Office to move toward a single touch payroll system.

Although the 30 September deadline for small employers (19 or fewer employees) to move to single touch payroll (STP) has passed, the ATO wants to remind farmers – and all employers in the agriculture industry – that they have options.

STP is a new way of reporting tax and super information to the ATO, with employers sending their employees’ salaries and wages, pay as you go (PAYG) withholding and super information electronically each time they pay their employees.

The ATO recognises that employers in this industry have unique challenges, different ways of working and managing payroll, particularly if they operate a small farm with 1-4 employees or have a fluctuating seasonal workforce.

To support their transition to STP, the ATO has released concessions for employers in the agriculture industry – outlined in an information guide available for download.

Download the Information Guide here...

On 4 October 2019, terms allowing an employer to unilaterally substitute a public holiday or substitute a public holiday with agreement from the majority of their staff will be removed from awards that contain them.

Instead, employers and individual employees can agree to substitute another day (or part-day) for a public holiday.

Public holiday entitlements will apply to the substituted day for any employees that agree. For any employees that don’t agree to the substitution, the original public holiday will attract public holiday entitlements.

You can read the Fair Work Commission’s decision for more information.

To welcome in the upcoming 2019 Cherry Season Launch, the Victorian Cherry Association has updated the Victorian Cherry Trail Brochure.  The brochure is now available in hard copy as well as a quick and easy to use interactive version.  Thank you to all the participants.  Find the interactive version available for download here.