Senator visits Guyra to meet workers and industry

NSW Liberal MLC Aileen MacDonald, and Liberal Senator Jess Collins with Cr Eli Imad at Mother of Ducks
11th Aug 2026

NSW Liberal Senator Jess Collins visited Guyra as part of a tour of the Armidale region, meeting with local industry and discussing employment, workforce challenges and opportunities facing regional communities.
Accompanied by Armidale Regional Councillor Eli Imad and NSW Liberal MLC Aileen MacDonald, Senator Collins visited Costa Group’s major glasshouse operations in Guyra, where she met with management and spoke with employees working through the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme.
Discussions with Costa management highlighted the importance of the PALM scheme in helping address workforce shortages and supporting one of Guyra’s major employers. The visit also provided an opportunity to showcase Costa’s workforce management and employee welfare practices.
Senator Collins spoke directly with PALM workers about their experiences working and living in Guyra.
Ms MacDonald’s participation provided an additional focus on worker protections through her role on the NSW Parliament’s Modern Slavery Committee, including safeguards, working conditions and protections for workers involved in labour mobility programs.
The delegation was also updated on efforts to rehabilitate and restore the Mother of Ducks Lagoon, highlighting the site’s importance to the Guyra community and the need for ongoing support to protect and restore the lagoon.
Cr Imad said visits such as this provided federal and state representatives with an opportunity to see the challenges and opportunities facing the region firsthand.
“It is important that representatives have the opportunity to hear directly from local businesses, workers and the community about the issues affecting regional areas,” Cr Imad said.
Earlier in the day, Senator Collins visited the University of New England, where she was briefed on agricultural research into livestock nutrition, productivity and reducing methane emissions from cattle and sheep.
During her Armidale visit, Senator Collins also met with Armidale Regional Council Mayor Sam Coupland and Deputy Mayor Todd Redwood to discuss issues and priorities affecting the region.