Backpackers flock to the fields as GFC makes hospitality work scarce in the cities

[connaust]

The global financial crisis is forcing backpackers to look for harvest work due to a shortage of hospitality and bar jobs in cities, according to National Harvest Labour Information Service (NHLIS) manager Robert Cameron.

 

 

 

Cameron told the Weekly Times the NHLIS was receiving more than 1000 phone calls a day from backpackers looking for seasonal work. He said the GFC had reduced spending on discretionary items such as eating out, making hospitality jobs hard to come by and forcing backpackers into the fields.

[Life on easy street]

18 months ago farmers were desperate for workers on the farms at least that is what I have been told by the manager of a working hostel.

 

There has now been a complete reversal this year.

 

There are now a few working hostels that advertise work only for the backpackers to find out there is no work only after they have paid for a weeks accommodation that there is in fact no work.

 

There is at least one farm near Melbourne who decided not to pay the backpackers for there work!!

[Guest proud2beaussie]

i'm sorry but I don't see the point in this thread,the global financial crisis has affected nearly every country in the world to some extent and many countries have experienced a substantial rise in unemployment so what is the big deal with Australia's hospitality industry being affected?.

And I would also ask why backpackers would expect Australia to be any different to other countries when it comes to industry sectors being adversely affected by the recession.

And to be perfectly frank if I was looking at doing some backpacking through Australia I probably wouldn't choose the middle of a GFC to so it.