Pollyana

A plea for anyone who is currently backpacking in Aus, or anyone who is in touch with backpackers out here. I know it doesn't apply to many backpackers, but as usual the minority is spoiling it for the others.
Please pass this on.

My info is largely Queensland based but much of it is valid across the whole country. It is also based on official info, much of it from Queensland Police reports, not just open source media.

If you are backpacking in Aus at present, PLEASE listen to the rules in place in your area and abide by them. There are numerous reports of backpackers and young travellers fluting all the social distancing rules, being abusive to local people, turning to petty crime, shoplifting food from small stores, and generally tarnishing the reputation of this section of society.
The police WILL take action, you will be fined, imprisoned, deported whatever - there is going to be zero tolerance on this. Deportation can lead to a lengthy ban from Aus and will need to be declared for future visa applications for any other country. Get rid of the air of entitlement and understand that everyone is doing it tough, you have no special privileges.
In some areas the usual fruit picking etc has dried up, there are no crops to be picked or all the work has gone to locals. If that is the case and you cannot support yourself, you need to move on. Do not stay in the area andmake a nuisance of yourself. One area getting particular scrutiny at present is the North Burnett, around Gayndah, Munduberra, Bundaberg.

Remember, you re not just harming your own reputation and possible future, but you are turning the people of Australia against backpackers and young travellers in general and making things difficult for those who will follow in your footsteps n years to come.

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https://www.sbs.com.au/news/backpack...vernment-warnsBackpackers and temporary visa holders working on farms have been warned they are at risk of being deported if they do not comply with social distancing measures during the coronavirus pandemic. Agriculture Minister David Littleproud was loud and clear with his messaging for foreign workers during a press conference on Friday. “If they are caught flouting the rules, we would cancel their visas and send them home,” he said.

the troubadour

A two sided coin obviously. Back packers have been targeted in South Australia by some locals in small towns. Even to the point have having rocks thrown at some of them. They have coped verbal abuse but thankfully some residents have come forward and shown support. Remember these folk perform work, hard to attract locals to do. Hardly fair to 'use them' in good times (often not great conditions) then attack them in other times.
I do hope that this is not a wide spread abuse of visitors. I expect it is not confined to one locality though, which is why I won't name the town in question.

The Bloke

There is a bigoted minority in Australia, who exist to cause trouble, take for example the attacks earlier this year on people of Asian descent, regardless of whether they were of Korean, Vietnamese OR Chinese descent. Also comments from politicians like Dutton and Morrison, haven't helped matters, but maybe if the backpackers in Sydney hadn't been such idiots, followed the rules, things might have been different. Add to that obviously nobody will know the real story as there are normally 3 sides to very one, the backpackers, the locals and the right one.