PALM visas holders do not get Medicare (outside of a trial limited to 200 people), so what happens when they are injured, get sick or fall pregnant? In episode three of PALMed Off, host Morgan Harrington hears how a lack of affordable medical care can have dire consequences for PALM visa holders and discusses the problems faced by women who fall pregnant whilst working in Australia. PALMed Off is a special four-part series of Follow the Money exploring the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, an...
PALM visas holders do not get Medicare (outside of a trial limited to 200 people), so what happens when they are injured, get sick or fall pregnant?
In episode three of PALMed Off, host Morgan Harrington hears how a lack of affordable medical care can have dire consequences for PALM visa holders and discusses the problems faced by women who fall pregnant whilst working in Australia.
PALMed Off is a special four-part series of Follow the Money exploring the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, an Australian Government guestworker program that could be putting people from nine Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste at risk of modern slavery.
The interviews for this podcast were recorded between June and August 2025.
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Host: Morgan Harrington, Research Manager, The Australia Institute // @mhharrington
Interviewees: Ken Dachi (Welcoming Australia), Dr Lindy Kanan (researcher), Dr Matt Withers (The Australian National University), (Waskam) Emelda Davis (ASSI-Port Jackson Chair), Thomas Costa (Unions NSW), anonymous former PALM workers
Scripting and production support: Stephen Long, Senior Fellow & Contributing Editor, the Australia Institute
Sound design and mixing: Simon Branthwaite
Show notes:
‘It’s not illegal to be pregnant’ by Lindy Kanan, DevPolicy Blog (May 2025)
‘Reproductive Health and Rights for PALM Scheme Workers – Statement’, Australian Women’s Health Alliance (May 2025)
Theme music: ‘Mumbwe’ by Tio, with thanks to the Wantok Music Foundation
We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.
Support Follow the Money: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate
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