The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and the Independent State of Samoa have reaffirmed the importance of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme and their shared commitment to ensuring its long-term sustainability and fairness.
The High Commissioner of Samoa, Her Excellency Ms Hinauri Petana, recently welcomed the NFF President Mr David Jochinke to the Samoan High Commission.
Mr Jochinke said the PALM scheme remained a vital contributor to the Australian agriculture sector, as well as to the livelihoods of many Samoan families and communities.
“It was an honour to meet Her Excellency,” Mr Jochinke said.
“The PALM scheme plays a critical role in addressing workforce shortages in Australian agriculture and providing meaningful economic opportunities for Samoan workers.”
Mr Jochinke said both parties recognised the importance of ensuring the scheme is responsive to the needs of all stakeholders alike.
“We had constructive discussions with Her Excellency, especially around the sustainability of the scheme,” Mr Jochinke said.
Her Excellency welcomed the opportunity to engage directly with the NFF and expressed Samoa’s strong support for continuing to strengthen the PALM scheme.
“It was an important and productive meeting with the NFF,” Her Excellency said.
“We are proud of the contributions Samoa workers are making in Australia and appreciate the support the sector is providing to them.”
“We must work together to develop a scheme that is enduring, inclusive, and meets the needs it was designed for,” Her Excellency said.
The NFF and Samoa also discussed other potential areas for deeper cooperation.
As of May 2025, there were 2,650 Samoan workers participating in the PALM scheme in Australia.
Stacey Davidson
Ashleigh Whittaker