New Australian citizens Dmytro Myronyuk, Hardev Singh and Rhea Huxley with Murrumbidgee Council Mayor Ruth McRae. Photo: Murrumbidgee Council.
In a fortnight in which the media shone a light on skills shortages created by two years of low migration to the Riverina, Murrumbidgee Council was able to present some good news. The shire formally welcomed three new Australian citizens who have chosen to make Darlington Point and Coleambally home, at a citizenship ceremony on Wednesday 12 October 2022.
Mrs Rhea Huxley, Mr Hardev Singh and Mr Dmytro Myronyuk were the trio who took the pledge at the council premises in Darlington Point.
The new citizens were supported by many friends and family members.
Murrumbidgee Council Mayor Ruth McRae said she felt immense pleasure to officiate at the event on behalf of Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles.
She described the ceremony as deeply moving, with each person so proud and appreciative to officially become an Australian citizen.
“It is a momentous milestone in what has been a long journey, especially Mr Singh, who has been pursuing his dream to become an Australian for 12 years,” she said.
“On behalf of the entire community, I warmly congratulate Mrs Huxley, Mr Singh and Mr Myronyuk on officially becoming Australians and wish them every success for the future.”
Mrs Rhea Huxley, who originates from the Philippines, said she was ecstatic to become an Australian citizen and that she loved living in Australia and had felt so welcomed by everyone.
“Becoming an Australian citizen today is beyond exciting. I am so happy and proud to be called an Australian and to be living in Australia with my beautiful husband and children,” she said.
On Monday 17 October, ABC current affairs show Four Corners aired a program filmed in the Riverina titled ‘Left to rot – A visit to the town of Griffith tells you everything you need to know about Australia’s worker shortage crisis‘.
Childcare educators protest against low wages and staff shortages in Griffith. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
The program highlighted the impact of the pandemic on the local hospitals, agribusinesses and farms, which are struggling to recruit employees after two years of limited immigration. Delays in visa processing have exacerbated the problem since international borders reopened.
The Griffith Business Chamber, Griffith City Council and Regional Development Australia Riverina put out a joint media release in response to the program.
John Nikolic, an executive committee member of the Griffith Business Chamber, said: “We should all sit up and take notice that Griffith has been described by Four Corners as being ’emblematic of the national [skills] crisis'”.
“The skills crisis cannot be solved with a single measure, but there are pieces of the puzzle that we can start to put into place. The chamber and council have been collaborating with Regional Development Australia Riverina and experienced consultants on one piece of the puzzle, being a Designated Area Migration Agreement, or DAMA,” Griffith mayor Doug Curran said.
Mr Nikolic agreed.
“DAMAs provide for a bespoke skilled migration list, which reflect the unique skills shortages being faced in a particular geographical area, such as Griffith or the broader Riverina, rather than those being experienced in major cities. Coupled with better pathways to permanent residency and concessions in relation to age limits, English literacy tests and other matters, DAMAs incentivise foreign workers to migrate to particular areas and provide employers with a broader recruitment pool,” he said.
“There are currently 12 areas in Australia that have DAMAs in place. The chamber and council want Griffith to be one of them. We are currently working with RDA Riverina towards the creation of a DAMA for the Riverina, which we would hope to see in place in 2023.
“If employers are interested in utilising a DAMA, we encourage them to contact the Griffith Business Chamber, Griffith City Council or RDA Riverina to express their support and advise of the particular skills shortages they are facing.”
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