Thomas came to Australia from Vanuatu as part of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. Back home, he is a farmer and he returned to Australia in 2024 to continue working on a farm under a seasonal worker visa.
As one of the team leaders in his work group, Thomas took workplace safety seriously. When he noticed problems with a tractor being used on the farm, he reported them to management multiple times. Despite raising his concerns more than three times, the issue was not fixed.
Then Thomas was injured while operating the tractor.
“I fell from the tractor and hurt myself,” Thomas explains.
After the incident, Thomas says the farm owner came to the scene but did not provide support. “I was lying there on the tractor, but he didn’t do anything,” he recalls.
The injury had a significant impact on Thomas’s life. Not only was he dealing with pain and recovery, but he was also concerned about whether he would be able to remain in Australia and pursue his workers compensation claim.
Thomas knew his employer had not taken the steps needed to support his claim. Rather than staying silent, he decided to stand up for his rights.
“I felt confident because I knew my rights,” he says. “That’s why I had to speak out.”
Thomas sought help through the Workplace Justice Visa program, which allowed him to stay in Australia while pursuing his case and accessing the medical care he needed.
“The Workplace Justice Visa gave me more power to stay here in Australia and fight for my case,” Thomas says. “Without it, maybe I would have had to go back home and I couldn’t continue my claim.”
Being able to remain in Australia made a major difference to his recovery. Thomas could continue attending physiotherapy, participate in pain management programs, visit his GP and meet with his lawyer as his claim progressed.
“It made my life easy” he says.
Today, Thomas encourages other migrant workers not to stay silent when they experience injury or workplace problems.
“My advice is, if you are injured, please stand up and fight for your rights,” he says.
He also highlights the importance of seeking support and speaking with organisations that can help workers understand their rights and options.
Thomas’s story is a reminder that all workers deserve a safe workplace and access to support when things go wrong. No worker should have to choose between their health, their livelihood and their right to seek justice.
