Business Daily

Now that borders have opened up post pandemic, backpackers have been slow to return to Australia.Despite a number of initiatives, the number of travellers is low. And that’s having an impact on businesses who need staff.David Reid explores the Australian working holiday visa scheme, which was set up fifty years ago to encourage young people to travel and work. It's not been without problems, and recently there have been allegations of exploitation and even abuse.So is the visa scheme the right solution for the Australian labour crunch? Or should government step in and rethink the whole set up?David speaks to Lee Thurston who runs Miss Moneypenny’s restaurant in Noosa, on the east coast of Queensland. Lee is from the UK but has settled in Australia. Lee said when they came to open up after the pandemic, all the backpackers had gone home. So he’s had to train up local teenagers instead.Hamish Hill runs Nomad’s hostel in Noosa. He tells David it’s noticeable how many vacancies there are and the impact that’s ha