The Cabinet Minister whose Ministry oversees the seasonal workers scheme says media reports alleging Samoan seasonal workers are "treated like slaves" in Australia are disturbing and he is seeking answers on the matter. 

The claims are made by Samoan seasonal workers and peers from other Pacific islands who testified in an Australian Senate hearing on job security at the Australian Federal Parliament in Canberra last Thursday.  

The SBS News reported the workers are fed up with the lack of accountability from their employers and shared their experience outlining the exploitative conditions they had been subjected to. 

One of the seasonal workers, Talipope Kalolo, 29, testified in Samoan saying they were treated like slaves at the workplace with dreadful working conditions. 

Mr. Kalolo claimed that one of his co-worker’s fainted at work and was never referred for medical checks. 

“We came to Australia to earn so we can help our families and at this stage we need help ourselves,” he told the Senate hearing. 

“It was better if we had stayed back home…we work in the sun, we work in the rain and there are no raincoats for us and our clothes dry up but we continue to work.” 

Contacted for a comment, the Minister of Public Enterprises, Leatinuu Wayne So’oialo said he was very disappointed to hear of the allegations that the Samoan seasonal workers raised while working under the Workers Mobility Program in Australia. 

“We definitely do not tolerate the exploitation of our R.S.E. workers in Australia for that matter,” he told the Samoa Observer.

In light of the media reports in Australia, the Minister has written to the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Labour (M.C.I.L.) Chief Executive Officer and those directly responsible for the program to provide an urgent report to his office. 

The Minister said he will also brief the Cabinet for an urgent decision to be made in light of the allegations that were made by the seasonal workers during the Australian Senate hearing. 

“A full review of the program will definitely be looked at as soon as possible,” said Leatinuu. 

“I am very disappointed and upset about the whole situation regarding the treatment of our R.S.E. workers currently in Australia if these reports are true.”  

During the recent parliamentary debate on the supplementary budget, the Minister spoke about plans to review the program and to address numerous problems encountered by seasonal workers while abroad. 

He told parliament the scheme in Australia has employed 3,000 Samoans while the New Zealand programme has taken up 2,000 locals. 

Leatinuu also noted the number of teachers who abandoned their teaching careers to pursue work in the scheme, saying this raises questions as to why local teachers were leaving the profession to work abroad.