AUSTRALIA.MIDFIELD MEAT PACKERS.
ONE of Warrnambool’s major employers was yesterday left stunned after more than 40 Chinese workers were caught up in a nationwide immigration crackdown and failed to show up for work.
Bosses at the Midfield Group suspected something might be wrong when the workers didn’t arrive as usual at 6am.
Search warrants were executed in Warrnambool yesterday as part of a Department of Immigration operation in Victoria, NSW and Queensland.
Immigration officials and Australian Federal Police were part of a taskforce that conducted a series of early morning raids on residential and business premises.
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Evans said the companies were unaware that labour hire firms were allegedly sourcing illegal workers.
Warrants were executed in Warrnambool, Melbourne, Sydney, Wagga Wagga, Scone, Kilcoy and Beenleigh.
"The department’s investigators had received information from a number of sources about a labour hire intermediary who was allegedly bringing Chinese foreign workers into Australia to be employed in meatworks unlawfully," Senator Evans said.
The department believes up to 100 illegal workers were involved in the racket.
"As a result of today’s field operations, a person of interest who is believed to be the main organiser has been identified and a large amount of evidence, including fraudulent passports, have been seized," Senator Evans said.
Further investigations into possible breaches of the Migration Act, Passports Act and criminal offences relating to identity fraud are continuing.
Most of the workers entered Australia legally on tourist or student visas.
Midfield Group operations manager Andrew Westlake said the immigration operation would leave Midfield with a significant labour shortfall today.
"What we have since been told in conversations with the Department of Immigration is that these people are unlikely to report for work," he said.
Mr Westlake said no immigration officers had been on the Warrnambool abattoir premises yesterday.
"We understand that any action taken was at the residences. It certainly wasn’t here and the first we knew was when people basically didn’t turn up," he said.
Midfield first employed about 20 Chinese workers in March last year and that workforce has gradually grown.
Mr Westlake said the company’s understanding was that all workers had the correct work permits and visas.
MALAYSIA-MEAT PLANT TO GO AHEAD.
The abattoir and meat processing centre, about 20km from the city, was partially burnt in September 2007, after being officially opened a year earlier.
It was among several state projects that the auditor-general, in 2007, had queries on, including the manner in which the contract was awarded and why it was under-utilised.
The early morning fire destroyed the butcher shop area, a lecture room and slaughterhouse, but a cooling room at the rear of the building was spared.
The centre, under the state Department of Veterinary Services and Livestock Industry, was intended to serve livestock breeders along Sabah’s west coast from Tuaran in the north to Sipitang in the south.
It was designed to slaughter up to 100 head of cattle or buffalo per day.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin said the project was back on track and would likely be completed this year.
"We need the centre to help increase production of meat here. We are below 30 per cent self-sufficiency in beef and we are importing a lot of meat," he said.
Yahya was speaking at a press conference after opening the 15th meeting of the World Organisation for Animal Health’s Sub-Commission for Foot and Mouth Disease in Southeast Asia.
Eight countries are participating in the meeting from March 9 to 13, held to discuss latest issues in tackling foot and mouth disease.
AUSTRALIA-79 MEAT WORKERS ARRESTED.
Some 79 illegal workers have been identified as part of a Immigration Department raid on meatworks around the country yesterday.
And that number is expected to grow as more people are interviewed and confirmed as working in Australia illegally.
The Department raided abattoirs in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, and all those detained were Chinese.
The federal vice-president of the Australian Meat Industry Employees Union, Patricia Fernandez, said a shortage of labourers had forced companies to look overseas for workers.
"The shortage of labour has been created by past governments not putting enough money into training for workers," she said.
"We find companies bringing in people through agencies and making them work at the expense of Australian workers."
Backpackers were the latest workers exploited for cheap labour, she said.
AUSTRALIA-CATTLE MARKETS.
Thursday’s livestock summary
12/03/2009
Numbers increased at Dalby and quality was generally good. Lightweight yearling steers improved close to 20¢/kg. Yearling heifers lifted 5¢ to 10¢/kg. Heavyweight steers and bullocks to export slaughter gained 4¢ to 7¢ to average 176¢ with sales to 184¢/kg. Heavyweight certified grainfed steers improved over 20¢ to average 193¢/kg. Cows finished 2¢ to 6¢/kg dearer.
Casino witnessed a drop in numbers however quality was good. Lightweight vealers sold firm to slightly dearer whilst yearlings followed a similar trend as rates improved. Grown steers gained 4¢/kg. Gown heifers sold slightly dearer, while the cow market improved 3¢ to 6¢/kg for the medium and heavyweights.
Numbers lifted at Warrnambool and quality was fair to good. Vealers finished 5¢ to 10¢/kg dearer. The C muscled yearlings sold from 145¢ to 178¢/kg. Grown steers finished 5¢ to 12¢ dearer whilst heavyweight prime grown steers and bullocks sold between 160c and 175c/kg. Cows generally sold 5¢ to 10¢ higher with sales to 142¢/kg.
At the completion of Wednesday’s markets the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) improved 4.5¢ on the previous week to settle at 317¢/kg cwt. The trade steer indicator lifted 5¢ – to 170¢ whilst feeder steers improved 2¢ – to 165¢/kg. Japan ox finished 3¢ dearer at 168¢ and US cows lifted 2¢ - to 125¢/kg.
There was a larger offering of lambs at Hamilton and quality was mixed. Store and lightweight crossbred lambs were $3 to $10/head dearer. Trade weights remained firm to dearer, with some sales $2 to $4/head higher. However prices slightly eased where quality slipped, as most sold between $76.50 to $105/head, or from 405¢ to 455¢/kg cwt. Heavy lambs were generally $1 to $4 dearer as most sold between $96 to $138/head to average around 435¢/kg cwt.
At the close of Wednesday’s markets, most of the eastern states sheep and lamb indicators were cheaper than last week. Restocking lambs gained 5¢ ending at 395¢, while Merino lamb was 2¢ cheaper at 336¢/kg cwt. Light lamb plummeted 18¢ finishing at 360¢/kg cwt. Trade lamb finished slightly cheaper at 418¢, while heavy lamb fell 4¢ to 432¢/kg cwt. Mutton slipped 5¢ to finish at 192¢/kg cwt.
