Community-led driving workshops are helping steer Goulburn Valley fruit pickers towards Australian licences

Seasonal farm worker Leleiga Fetui has been travelling to northern Victoria from Samoa for about six years, living in supplied accommodation near the Goulburn Valley fruit orchards where he is employed. He says orchardists usually provide a vehicle for workers to share, but few are licensed to drive.

“It’s very difficult, especially when we have to go buy groceries or travel from one farm to another farm,” Mr Fetui said.

Mr Fetui holds a driver’s licence in his home country but until this week no-one had offered to help him apply for one in Australia. For years he had to rely on others for transport around his home away from home.

Driving Change

Point of Difference Studios in Shepparton is a grassroots community organisation that creates culturally safe events, workshops, and programs.

It uses Victorian health department funding to run a project called Partners of Change. Niko Ifopo, a public health officer, is part of the team behind the initiative. “Our job is to look for the gaps in the system where we can help out,” Mr Ifopo said.

He said seasonal farm workers and temporary visa holders were keen to apply for Australian driver’s licences but faced barriers trying to navigate the process. A new program is aiming to change that, and this week Mr Fetui was one of the first to sign up.

The workshops run as night classes at Point of Difference Studio, and most participants come after a full day of farm work. “It’s their choice to come here after a long day and that shows how eager they are to get their licence,” Mr Ifopo said.

 

By the community, for the community

Facilitators speaking English and Pasifika languages explain the Australian road rules and help participants work through the learners’ test online.

“On the website when you do the full course it says the test will take about four hours to complete,” Mr Ifopo said. “With our workshop it’s taking more than double that time because the seasonal workers’ English isn’t as strong as the average Australian.”

Students can take their time reading course material, and ask for help with translation. “The road rules aren’t the same as where they’ve come from,” Mr Ifopo said. “Holding these licences and going through the course … they need this because there’s no other way for them to get to work.

“It makes them a part of the community as well.”

Once they have their learner’s permit, those participants who already have an overseas licence can have it verified, sit a driving test and — if they pass — move straight to a full Australian licence. Mr Ifopo said the course was run by the community, for the community.

“It started because we had a community member step up and volunteer to lead this program,” he said. “The goal of this is to help anyone who needs it.”