Elected representatives must do more about blueberry industry concerns

DEAR News Of The Area,

THE blueberry industry has garnered the headlines of late for a number of concerning reasons.

There are ongoing and growing community concerns about neurotoxic insecticide and chemical runoff polluting our local waterways and their impacts on sensitive macroinvertebrates, fish life and water quality.

Substances such as isocycloseram, which has been reportedly linked to liver harm and fetal skeletal defects in high doses.

Then there’s two Bucca berry farmers reportedly fined by the NSW Land and Environment Court for illegally damming a local waterway and clearing coastal bushlands without approval.

Now we have a report from the NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Dr James Cockayne, reporting deeply concerning labour-hire practices in some of our local blueberry farms that are engaging in practices tantamount to slavery.

Workers are being paid as little as $20 per day (well below the minimum wage of $24.95 per hour, as enshrined under Australian Law) and being forced to live in unsanitary and overcrowded housing.

Dr Cockayne reports that “many in the region have been aware of it for years” and that “through intimidation and ineffective coordination between law enforcement and regulatory authorities a culture of silence has taken hold”.

In this modern age, we as a community cannot stand for such practices.

We need tougher legislation and regulatory requirements.

We need our elected representatives in Council and NSW Parliament to do better to protect our environment, our health and our people.

Regards,

Pete Christie,

Boambee East.