Earlier this month, NT Farmers joined a trade delegation to promote greater agricultural and economic connections between Denpasar and the Northern Territory.

The delegation consisted of representatives from the NT Government, The Chamber of Commerce, education providers, tourism and hospitality bodies and the Darwin City Council. Our visit attracted strong interest from government and businesses in Denpasar and Indonesia who want closer engagement with the Northern Territory.

The biggest theme of the delegation was the workforce crisis that is constraining all Australian businesses including farmers. NT Farmers promoted the opportunities of creating employment programs to allow Indonesian workers to work on farms and upskill while they are in Australia. Our audience of Indonesian government representatives and business people were all extremely receptive to the idea of a special Denpasar-Northern Territory employment pilot program for farm workers.

The employment program could provide workers from Denpasar with the ability to easily travel to the Territory to assist with harvests. The program would be a win-win arrangement for both jurisdictions. It will provide certainty to our farmers that their harvests will be picked and it will also provide Indonesian workers with a high income and valuable skills that they can apply when they return to Denpasar. The real world experience and training that the workers receive in Australia will enable the workers to improve farm productivity and efficiency domestically in Indonesia.

Not only can both jurisdictions benefit from employment programs but also through enhanced biosecurity training and monitoring. As neighbors, it is critical that we work together to prevent biosecurity outbreaks from spreading and damaging our large agricultural sectors. NT Farmers highlighted opportunities for closer biosecurity engagement between industry and government.

The audience was extremely receptive to the possibilities of forging closer engagement via workforce and biosecurity collaborations. NT Farmers will now work on making the partnerships a reality for the benefit of our industries and economies. Currently, it is a critical time for both jurisdictions as we grapple with significant post pandemic challenges. In these times, we need to develop creative and mutually beneficial solutions to our challenges. The partnership between the NT and Denpasar offers us an exciting opportunity to grow together.

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