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Celebrating culture and connection: PALM scheme workers and employers unite in South Australia

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) recently hosted its seventh Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme Regional Engagement Forum (PREF) in South Australia, held on Erawirung Country in Renmark, Paringa.

These forums are designed to bring together PALM scheme workers, employers, and regional stakeholders to share experiences, strengthen relationships, and promote best practices in worker support and community integration.

United for safer roads: Toowoomba hosts PALM scheme road safety event

Road safety is everyone’s responsibility, and when communities, government agencies and industry partners work together, lives can be saved. On Saturday 9 August 2025, Toowoomba became the centre of a significant collaboration, as more than 100 Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme workers took part in an action-packed road safety event. Through hands-on demonstrations, practical challenges and expert advice, participants learned important skills to protect themselves and others on Australian roads. 

More than a job: how PALM scheme workers like Ilai are driving toward independence

For many workers under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, coming to Australia is more than just a job, it's a journey toward personal growth, independence and valuable life skills.

For Ilai, an Early Childhood Educator from Papua New Guinea based in Katherine on a four-year visa, that journey recently reached a new milestone: earning his Australian driver’s licence. 

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