Top-End tourism businesses are calling on Canberra to create an emergency resilience fund to help them survive a sluggish wet season and the government’s planned reduction in Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visas. At a round-table in Darwin, operators warned that cutting second-year WHM places to 45,000 and third-year places to 5,000—roughly 38,000 fewer backpackers than 2026 levels—would deprive the sector of critical seasonal labour just as high fuel prices and flood-repair costs bite. Tourism Top End chair Chris Chaffe said many family-run attractions lack the cash reserves to withstand a shorter peak season caused by extreme weather and reduced international flights. A dedicated fund—combining travel vouchers, wage subsidies and tax relief—could prevent permanent closures, he argued. Backpacker arrivals are a cornerstone of NT mobility. They not only staff hostels, tour boats and adventure parks but often transition into regional skilled visas for hospitality and agriculture. A sharper cap therefore threatens both tourism revenue and the region’s longer-term workforce pipeline. Mobility teams supporting projects in the NT should prepare for tighter labour markets and consider internal secondments or company-sponsored Skills-in-Demand visas to fill roles traditionally held by WHM holders.
Source: ABC News
