Tony Burke rejects farmers’ claims that immigration changes will increase food prices

Farming lobby says shoppers will see emptier shelves and higher prices because of restrictions on backpackers

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The farming lobby’s claim that immigration rule changes will increase food prices for households is wrong, Tony Burke has said, describing moves to speed up processing of backpacker visas as a positive step for agriculture.

Burke unveiled Labor’s long-awaited reforms at the National Press Club on Thursday, flagging that the plan was more limited than the government would like, due to a lack of support for wider legislation from the Coalition.