Welcoming seasonal workers in Australia: gift and responsibility

The 7th National Conference will address the issues of seasonal and migrant workers in Australia, emphasising their contributions to Australian society beyond their labour. Seasonal workers come from overseas, specifically from the Timor-Leste and the Pacific, and travel and work temporarily in Australia. They do not only come to Australia to support their families, but they also bring rich cultural experiences, traditions, language, and faith. The conference will explore how faith communities in Australia and Australian society can welcome and learn from these gifts, fostering positive change.

The Conference, which runs from the morning of Thursday, 18 July to the afternoon of Friday, 19 July will provide delegates with an opportunity to receive formation on some of the issues, specifically emphasising the moral responsibility to ensure that seasonal workers are treated justly and with respect while working in Australia. It will encourage people across the country to actively support seasonal and migrant workers, particularly those from Timor-Leste and the Pacific. Moreover, the Conference will serve as a platform for raising awareness and promoting just outcomes for seasonal and migrant workers through informed discussions, advocacy, and policy development in support of these vulnerable workers, emphasising the social, cultural, and environmental dimensions of this critical issue.

The Conference has been designed to provide opportunities for formation, but most importantly provide various stakeholders including Australian Catholic agencies, including Catholic Religious Australia (CRA), relevant Bishops Commissions and other leadership roles in Australian Catholicism, as well as broader ecumenical and global stakeholders to recognise the rights of the low-paid migrant and seasonal workforce as an emerging social justice issue, particularly in the context of global warming. There will be generous time given for delegates to provide feedback in formal and informal ways and on how to contribute to these topics concerning not only Australia but the Oceania region as a whole. 

The event is an ACMRO collaboration with two essential partner organisations: the ACBC Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace (OJEP) and Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH).

When: Thursday, 18 July to Friday, 19 July 2024

Where: The 7th National Conference will be held at the Australian Catholic
University (ACU) Melbourne Campus (115 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy VIC
3065).

Dr Laurie Berg
Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney
Co-Executive Director, Migrant Justice Institute Sydney NSW Australia

 




Rev James Bhagwan
General Secretary, Pacific Conference of Churches
Suva, Fiji

We respectfully acknowledge that this conference takes place on the traditional land of the Wurundjeri people.
For pricing and registration, please click here.

Accomodation

The ACU Melbourne campus is located approximately a 15-minute walk from the city centre and there are a number of accommodation options available nearby. Other hotels are available for conference delegates in and around the university and Melbourne CBD.