The Tourism & Transport Forum Australia (TTF) and the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) are calling on the Federal Government to recognise the serious concerns about the negative impact of the proposed backpacker tax on industry by taking action to curtail it in next week’s Federal Budget.  

More than 30,000 people have signed an online petition opposing the 32.5 per cent tax proposal. “The backpacker tax is a bad policy – plain and simple. We are already seeing a marked decline in backpackers coming to Australia following repeated hikes in the cost of the visa – now $440. Slapping a 32.5 per cent tax on backpackers on every single dollar they earn will only encourage them to go elsewhere,” said Margy Osmond, TTF CEO.

Tony Mahar, CEO of the National Farmers’ Federation said that industry was increasingly worried about the backpacker tax, with farmers already reporting significantly fewer applications for seasonal jobs this year as a result of the tax announcement.