The Australian Banana Growers’ Council (ABGC) has welcomed the revised Federal Government view on the backpacker tax.

ABGC Chair Doug Phillips said the Coalition’s new compromised figure of a 15 per cent tax on backpacker earnings – down from an original 32.5 per cent rate – was good news for the banana industry whose workforce is 50 per cent reliant on travelling workers.

“Our industry is one that relies heavily on backpackers. A reduction in tax is a positive in terms of continuing to encourage those travellers to spend time as a vital labour force,” Mr Phillips said.