ATEC welcomes seasonal worker extension

The announcement of the extension of the Seasonal Worker Program trial to cover accommodation businesses across the whole of Western Australia by Federal Employment Minister Brendan O'Connor and Federal Tourism Minister Gary Gray has been welcomed by the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC).

ATEC ATEC Managing Director commended the decision, stating "this announcement will give a significant boost to WA's accommodation providers who have long-struggled to find sufficient labour supply in the wake of the mining boom.

"Having the capacity to meet the labour force shortfall with seasonal workers is a valuable allowance for the industry and recognises the difficulty faced by an industry with significant deficiencies in skilled and available staff.

"The capacity to find workers to fill some of the peak demand periods is crucial to the success of many tourism businesses and ATEC welcomes this positive move."

Mariani said tourism was an important underlying contributor to Australia's economy, concluding "the tourism economy is one of the mainstays of the Australian economy and remains steady through the ups and downs of other industries such as mining and automotive.

"We must ensure we protect and build on the strength of an industry that employs half a million Australians."

For more information go to www.atec.net.au 

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