Working holiday makers' vulnerability to exploitation and harm in Australia : experiences before and during the COVID-19 global health pandemic

Abstract

This thesis investigates Working Holiday Makers' (WHMs) experiences of vulnerability to exploitation and harm in Australia through a transnational intersectional feminist lens. The study addresses the existing deficiencies in the literature pertaining to WHMs' vulnerability to exploitation and harms in Australia and its influences. In doing this it generates an empirical database that enables insight into some of the small-scale feasible changes that can be implemented to reduce WHMs' vulnerability to exploitation and a wider plethora of harms (including raced and gendered harms). As the data collection period of this study took place during the early stages of the COVID-19 global health pandemic (May 2020- February 2021), the study also provides insight into how the COVID-19 global health pandemic shaped WHMs' vulnerability to exploitation and harm. The research found that WHMs are vulnerable to a number of exploitations and harms in Australia. These include wage theft, superannuation theft, exploitation by secondary service providers, workplace injury, racism, workplace discrimination based on race/ethnicity, sexism, workplace discrimination based on sexuality, sexual harassment and domestic violence. Numerous influences of WHMs' vulnerability to exploitation and harm also identified. The study also demonstrated that WHMs' vulnerability to exploitation and harm is influenced by their unique intersectional social categories including gender, race, and sexuality. It was found that the conditions of the COVID-19 global health pandemic increased WHMs' vulnerability to exploitation and a number of harms including domestic violence, racism, xenophobia, and hostility from local community members. These harms were influenced by the conditions of the pandemic and subsequent government responses, however, were largely due to the design of the AWHP and WHMs' existing conditions in Australia. This study's findings have implications for practice and policy. I suggest that there are some small-scale changes that can be introduced to reduce WHMs' vulnerability to exploitation and harm while the feasibility of large-scale structural changes is being considered by governments. These include creating a centralised platform to connect WHMs with employers, better education and improving the accessibility of resources to assist WHMs to predict and manage the exploitation and harm they may encounter in Australia, improving WHMs' knowledge of reporting systems and reducing barriers to reporting, and improving WHMs' access to support services.

Date of Award	2022
Original language	English