Latest news with #Rayasi
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Salesi Rayasi to make Fiji debut against Australia in Sunday's rugby test
Salesi Rayasi , a former New Zealand rugby sevens player, is set to make his test debut for Fiji, following in the footsteps of his father, Filipe Rayasi , when he starts at fullback in Sunday's clash against Australia in Newcastle. Rayasi, now playing for RC Vannes in France, is one of two uncapped players named in Mick Byrne 's match-day squad, alongside Fijian Drua scrumhalf Philip Baselala , who could debut off the bench. The 27-year-old previously made 50 Super Rugby appearances for the Hurricanes and was part of New Zealand's sevens squad from 2018 to 2020. Choosing to represent Fiji is a personal and symbolic move for Rayasi, honoring his heritage and his father, who earned 13 caps for the Pacific island nation, primarily at fullback - the same position his son will now occupy. Fiji are aiming to secure their first win on Australian soil in over 70 years as they face the Wallabies on Sunday, buoyed by their memorable 22-15 victory over Australia at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. Live Events Head coach Mick Byrne has made significant changes to the side that last took the field in November, when they suffered a heavy 52-17 defeat to Ireland. Eight new faces have been introduced to the starting XV, including Bristol Bears' Bill Mata, who starts at number eight, pushing Elia Canakaivata to openside flanker. Simione Kuruvoli replaces Frank Lomani at scrumhalf, while Tevita Ikanivere retains the captaincy after co-leading the side in Dublin. The midfield pairing of Iosefo Masi from Fijian Drua and Racing 92 powerhouse Josua Tuisova adds physicality and flair, posing a serious threat to Australia's center combination of Joseph Suaalii and Len Ikitau. Team: 15-Salesi Rayasi, 14-Kalaveti Ravouvou, 13-Iosefo Masi, 12-Josua Tuisova, 11-Jiuta Wainiqolo, 10-Caleb Muntz, 9-Simione Kuruvoli, 8-Bill Mata, 7-Elia Canakaivata, 6-Lekima Tagitagivalu, 5-Temo Mayanavanua, 4-Isoa Nasilasila, 3-Peni Ravai, 2-Tevita Ikanivere (capt), 1-Eroni Mawi Replacements: 16-Sam Matavesi, 17-Haereiti Hetet, 18-Mesake Doge, 19-Mesake Vocevoce, 20-Albert Tuisue, 21-Philip Baselala, 22-Isaiah Ravula, 23-Sireli Maqala
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Rugby-Former New Zealand sevens speedster Rayasi to make Fiji debut v Australia
MELBOURNE, - Former New Zealand rugby sevens player Salesi Rayasi will follow in his father's footsteps by representing Fiji at test level when he starts at fullback in Sunday's clash against Australia in Newcastle. Rugby-Former New Zealand sevens speedster Rayasi to make Fiji debut v Australia France-based Rayasi is one of two uncapped players in Mick Byrne's match-day squad, with Fijian Drua scrumhalf Philip Baselala hoping to debut from the bench. Rayasi, who made 50 appearances for the Wellington Hurricanes in Super Rugby before moving to RC Vannes last year, was a member of New Zealand's sevens squads between 2018-20. He switched nationality to Fiji to honour his heritage, with his father Filipe Rayasi capped 13 times for the Pacific island nation, mostly at fullback. "He's pretty excited, obviously," Australian Byrne told reporters in Newcastle on Friday of Rayasi Jnr. "Very accomplished player, very skilful. I like the way he's been training. He works very hard off the field as well, understanding his role. "That's been very pleasing so I'm looking forward to him being able to go out there on Sunday and show everybody his worthiness of a white jersey." Fiji are looking for a first win in Australia in over 70 years, having stunned the Wallabies 22-15 at the 2023 World Cup in France. The Pacific islanders' lineup is much-changed from their last start in November when they were smashed 52-17 by Ireland in Dublin. Byrne has made eight changes to the starting 15 while retaining hooker Tevita Ikanivere as captain after he was co-skipper against the Irish. Simione Kuruvoli has replaced Frank Lomani in the number nine shirt while Bristol Bears loose forward Bill Mata starts at number eight, shifting Elia Canakaivata to the openside. Fijian Drua's Iosefo Masi and Racing 92 centre Josua Tuisova offer a powerful midfield foil to the Australian duo of Joseph Suaalii and Len Ikitau. Team: 15-Salesi Rayasi, 14-Kalaveti Ravouvou, 13-Iosefo Masi, 12-Josua Tuisova, 11-Jiuta Wainiqolo, 10-Caleb Muntz, 9-Simione Kuruvoli, 8-Bill Mata, 7-Elia Canakaivata, 6-Lekima Tagitagivalu, 5-Temo Mayanavanua, 4-Isoa Nasilasila, 3-Peni Ravai, 2-Tevita Ikanivere , 1-Eroni Mawi Replacements: 16-Sam Matavesi, 17-Haereiti Hetet, 18-Mesake Doge, 19-Mesake Vocevoce, 20-Albert Tuisue, 21-Philip Baselala, 22-Isaiah Ravula, 23-Sireli Maqala This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Former New Zealand sevens speedster Rayasi to make Fiji debut v Australia
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox MELBOURNE - Former New Zealand rugby sevens player Salesi Rayasi will follow in his father's footsteps by representing Fiji at test level when he starts at fullback in Sunday's clash against Australia in Newcastle. France-based Rayasi is one of two uncapped players in Mick Byrne's match-day squad, with Fijian Drua scrumhalf Philip Baselala hoping to debut from the bench. Rayasi, who made 50 appearances for the Wellington Hurricanes in Super Rugby before moving to RC Vannes last year, was a member of New Zealand's sevens squads between 2018-20. He switched nationality to Fiji to honour his heritage, with his father Filipe Rayasi capped 13 times for the Pacific island nation, mostly at fullback. "He's pretty excited, obviously," Australian Byrne told reporters in Newcastle on Friday of Rayasi Jnr. "Very accomplished player, very skilful. I like the way he's been training. He works very hard off the field as well, understanding his role. "That's been very pleasing so I'm looking forward to him being able to go out there on Sunday and show everybody his worthiness of a white jersey." Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump says countries to start paying tariffs on Aug 1, floats range of 10% to 70% Singapore Sengkang murder: Man accused of killing elderly mother escorted back to crime scene Singapore Multiple charges for man accused of damaging PAP campaign materials on GE2025 Polling Day Singapore Jail for man who recruited 2 Japanese women for prostitution at MBS Singapore Seller's stamp duty rates for private homes raised; holding period increased from 3 years to 4 Asia Japan urges evacuation of small island as 1,000 quakes hit region Asia Indonesian rescuers widen search for missing after ferry sinks World Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending Bill wins congressional approval Fiji are looking for a first win in Australia in over 70 years, having stunned the Wallabies 22-15 at the 2023 World Cup in France. The Pacific islanders' lineup is much-changed from their last start in November when they were smashed 52-17 by Ireland in Dublin. Byrne has made eight changes to the starting 15 while retaining hooker Tevita Ikanivere as captain after he was co-skipper against the Irish. Simione Kuruvoli has replaced Frank Lomani in the number nine shirt while Bristol Bears loose forward Bill Mata starts at number eight, shifting Elia Canakaivata to the openside. Fijian Drua's Iosefo Masi and Racing 92 centre Josua Tuisova offer a powerful midfield foil to the Australian duo of Joseph Suaalii and Len Ikitau. Team: 15-Salesi Rayasi, 14-Kalaveti Ravouvou, 13-Iosefo Masi, 12-Josua Tuisova, 11-Jiuta Wainiqolo, 10-Caleb Muntz, 9-Simione Kuruvoli, 8-Bill Mata, 7-Elia Canakaivata, 6-Lekima Tagitagivalu, 5-Temo Mayanavanua, 4-Isoa Nasilasila, 3-Peni Ravai, 2-Tevita Ikanivere (capt), 1-Eroni Mawi Replacements: 16-Sam Matavesi, 17-Haereiti Hetet, 18-Mesake Doge, 19-Mesake Vocevoce, 20-Albert Tuisue, 21-Philip Baselala, 22-Isaiah Ravula, 23-Sireli Maqala REUTERS
SBS Australia
26-04-2025
- Health
- SBS Australia
'Scared' and 'helpless': Rayasi's dream of working in Australia was not what she envisioned
Rayasi came to Australia full of hope. She did not expect to wind up injured and undocumented less than a year later. The 42-year-old Fijian national had prayed for months for a place in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme: a temporary visa program designed to plug Australia's labour shortages by recruiting workers from nine Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste. When she finally got the call in 2022 offering a four-year position at a meat factory in Melbourne, she accepted immediately. "I was excited. Who wouldn't want to get out of Fiji given the [economic] situation back at home? I was making under $200 a week working full-time, as the minimum wage is quite low," she says. In Australia, Rayasi could earn around five times her usual wage, and planned to use it to support her family back home. She has asked SBS News to blur her image to protect her privacy. Rayasi was initially excited to come to Australia under the PALM scheme. Source: SBS News / Mridula Amin Rayasi attended a pre-departure orientation in Fiji, but it didn't prepare her for the reality of her new workplace. "When I saw the whole factory, I was scared. The smell, the gas. It's a totally new environment for me." Eager to embrace the opportunity, she quickly adapted and got to work. Rayasi was assigned to the 'stomach section' of the factory, which involves cutting a cow's stomach and removing its contents while high-heat steam is blasted to kill bacteria. But within a few weeks, she'd developed occupational hand dermatitis — common among factory workers — and was given sick leave. When she returned, she asked to be moved to a different section, believing the wet room environment was contributing to her dermatitis, but her request was denied. I felt uncared for and disrespected. I felt helpless. Medical issues ignored Six months later, Rayasi started experiencing chronic pain in her right hand — the hand she uses to hold her knife. A medical certificate dated February 2023, seen by SBS News, notes a three-month history of worsening pain in Rayasi's hand and recommends that she be placed on modified duties to avoid repetitive or sustained gripping and pulling. Rayasi claims her employer ignored this advice and refused her requests to be rotated to the lighter-duty packing room, where other PALM workers were assigned. "I told them I can't keep doing this, my hands hurt. I've got a medical certificate." SBS Samoan 05/03/2025 09:00 Around that time, Rayasi's labour hire company — the intermediary company that manages her working relationship with the factory — suggested she apply for workers compensation, but she refused, saying it would be a temporary fix. "I knew when I returned, I'd still be doing the same work that was causing me pain." Over the next seven months, she repeatedly told her employer she wanted to resign and move to a different PALM-sponsored job if she couldn't be rotated internally. "He just said if you don't shape up, if you don't perform, you'll get deported," she says of her manager's blunt reply. She also tried contacting the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union, where she was a paying member, but says it didn't get her anywhere. SBS News contacted the union but did not receive a reply by deadline. Rayasi says she repeatedly requested to be rotated to another section of the factory to avoid aggravating the chronic pain in her right hand. Source: SBS News / Mridula Amin Meanwhile, the pain in her hand got worse. Finally, feeling she had no other choice, Rayasi walked off the job, immediately invalidating her visa and private medical insurance given she did not have her employer's permission to leave. "I thought: I can get another job, but I can't get another life; another two hands." A pattern of exploitation Rayasi is one of more than 7,000 PALM workers who have absconded from the scheme over the past five years. Many have cited poor working conditions, exploitation and abuse — there have also been dozens of fatalities. Reports of exploitation have also led to investigations by the Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman (OFWO). By June 2024, the OFWO had started 228 investigations into PALM scheme-approved employers, and recovered $762,625 on behalf of 1,937 workers. The PALM scheme employs workers in meat processing, agriculture, aged care and tourism. These workers were pictured at the Sydney Fish Market last year. Source: AAP / Joel Carrett The conditional nature of PALM workers' visas makes them particularly vulnerable. Workers under the scheme, of which there are currently over 30,000, are bound to a single employer and not entitled to initiate a transfer to another employer — otherwise, their visa will be cancelled. (Of the scheme's 494 employers, 102 are labour-hire companies that effectively subcontract workers to other companies.) Transfers are only permitted with the approval of their employer-sponsor or at the discretion of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR). Contracts under the scheme can be short-term, lasting up to nine months, or long-term, lasting up to four years. Those fleeing exploitation are forced to either leave the country or stay on illegally, stripped of their rights and with limited pathways to alternative employment. Advocates say this rigidity has created a stream of absconded workers with little understanding of how to navigate leaving an exploitative employer. Leaving also carries shame. Workers have told SBS News they fear they'll be blamed for jeopardising the scheme and disgracing their community. "It's like you're giving the entire Fijian group a bad reputation," Rayasi says. SBS News 16/10/2024 08:25 Some participating countries employ country liaison officers (CLOs) who are tasked with helping resolve workplace issues locally, but it's unclear how effective they are. Three absconding workers told SBS News they had contacted the Melbourne-based Fijian country liaison officer, assigned to help PALM workers navigate disputes, but after months, were still unable to get clarity on how to re-engage in the scheme. SBS News contacted the CLO, who refuted the claims, saying he had helped absconded workers to re-engage in the scheme, including by contacting DEWR on their behalf. "Every issue has a process, it doesn't happen overnight. Workers should be patient," he told SBS News. However, many workers say the pathway to re-engagement is confusing and not straightforward. "We don't know which channel to go down, because we'll have a meeting, give our information, there's promises, and then you're still left wondering," says one man who doesn't wish to be identified. Rayasi says she was hesitant to contact DEWR, fearing instant deportation, but eventually contacted it out of desperation, hoping it would help transfer her to a new employer. I got very lucky, after trying a few times, a woman picked up and said she could help me. It felt like a weight off her shoulders, initially. But months dragged on, and deportation letters from the Department of Home Affairs started arriving for other absconders. Eventually, she received an 'intention to cancel' letter, asking her to confirm her employment status. A spokesperson from the department told SBS News that in 2024, it cancelled 983 offshore visas "due to disengagement from the PALM scheme", noting that these are triggered when an employer reports disengagement. While the Department of Home Affairs administers visas for the scheme, its lead governing agencies are the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and DEWR, with the latter responsible for re-engaging workers in the scheme. Earlier this year, the DEWR placed Rayasi with a new employer in Queensland and re-engaged her in the scheme — a year and a half after she left the meat factory. She knows she's "one of the lucky ones". Rayasi says she's lucky to have been moved to a new employer under the scheme. Source: SBS News / Mridula Amin Deceptive practices In a modest church in Hallam, a suburb in Melbourne's south-east, Pastor David Jonassen has set up a de facto shelter for absconded PALM workers, aptly named the House of Refuge. "We've got shower facilities and rooms," Jonassen says. "One time, we had 16 people staying here with nowhere to go [because] they were kicked out of the agency house." In the absence of government support, the pastor says faith groups and community centres have stepped in to help exploited workers seeking refuge, both physically and emotionally. "It's their faith and the love for their family that keeps them going. So they take all the abuse for their family so that they can put bread on the table." Pastor David Jonassen (left) and his colleague Lemeki Cabebula help run a shelter for absconded PALM workers in Melbourne. Source: SBS News / Mridula Amin Jonassen bristles at the suggestion that PALM workers abandon jobs to chase better pay, saying not enough scrutiny is placed on the labour hire agencies that brought them to Australia. "Has anyone asked why are they leaving? They're not leaving because they're just looking for a better job. That's not true," he says. "If [the companies] treated them right and honoured the conditions that [they] contracted them for, they're not going to leave." Lemeki Cabebula, who works alongside Jonassen, previously worked in labour-hire recruitment and says deceptive practices, such as contract changes on arrival, are commonplace. Several of the absconded workers now under the care of the House of Refuge allege their contract conditions were not honoured once they arrived in Australia. "One man was a qualified electrician running his own company in Fiji, and was told he'd be doing the same trade here. His job in the scheme … was catching chickens," Cabebula says. Lemeki Cabebula says he witnessed deceptive practices firsthand while he was working for a labour hire company. Source: SBS News / Mridula Amin Others say they weren't fully informed about the job they agreed to. One worker who lost a finger while working at a Melbourne abattoir told SBS News she didn't feel properly trained to use the machinery. After a period of reprieve on WorkCover, she was expected to return to meatwork, which she found traumatic. "I started doing packing instead but I couldn't even look at my hand," she says. But I had no choice; four years I'm locked in, and I want to be able to help my kids back home. She has since contacted the PALM scheme to try to change the industry her visa is tied to. Without the ability to apply for other work legally, many ex-PALM workers turn to cash-in-hand jobs, leaving them vulnerable to new forms of exploitation. Absconded workers are not entitled to stay in the country or apply for other jobs, which leaves them vulnerable. (Pictured: a Pasifika woman at a community event.) Source: SBS News / Mridula Amin Inequitable rights Under the scheme, PALM workers are also not eligible for Medicare, and those who abscond forfeit the private health insurance provided as part of their employment contracts. A 2023 poll conducted by The Australia Institute found that seven in 10 Australians (68 per cent) agree that PALM visa holders should have access to Medicare while working in Australia. Even those still in the scheme have struggled to navigate Australia's largely digital healthcare system. Ben Miok, 31, a PALM worker from Papua New Guinea (PNG), recalls his housemate being taken to the local hospital, but being told upfront payment was needed before they would admit him. He had not set up his digital insurance card and had never been issued a physical one. Ben Miok is still employed under the PALM scheme and says he has witnessed fellow workers struggle to access medical help. Source: SBS News / Mridula Amin Linda Koerner, who helps run Melbourne's PNG Wantoks Group, remembers the workers calling her for help. "If you are coming from a country like PNG, where you don't have computers and all this, it's very difficult to understand," she says of the lack of digital know-how. When she later raised the issue with someone from NIB — the insurance company contracted to provide private health cover to PALM workers — they told her they would contact the hospital to address future issues, but she never heard back. "They have private health insurance, but how much do they really know how to use this?" Koerner says. In March, the federal government announced it would introduce training for PALM workers in language, literacy, numeracy and digital skills through the Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) program. Advocates say it's a step forward, but more needs to be done. The PALM scheme recruits workers for unskilled, low-skilled and semi-skilled positions. (Pictured: PALM workers at a Pasifika community event in Melbourne). Source: SBS News / Mridula Amin A second chance As part of the Coalition's election campaign, Opposition leader Peter Dutton has pledged to review the PALM scheme and reintroduce a dedicated agriculture visa, previously cancelled by the Labor government under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Other PALM scheme-targeted reforms introduced by the government since its election in 2022 have included guaranteed minimum work hours and weekly take-home pay for Pacific workers. The Coalition has also indicated it would review and potentially scrap the minimum hours introduced by Labor. A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs said the disengagement rate within the scheme has declined under the Albanese government, dropping from 10 per cent in 2020-21 to 5 per cent in 2023-24. Shortly after the government was elected in 2022, Foreign Minister Penny Wong (pictured) travelled to Fiji to meet with PALM workers planning to take part in the scheme. Source: Getty / Pita Simpson However, the inability of workers to change employers without formal approval within the scheme remains. It's a concern for those with exploitative employers, and those without. One man in his 20s, who asked not to be identified, was recently offered a coveted extension with his employer. He says he would never abscond, but stays up at night thinking about the scheme's lack of choice. "I can't work in any other industry but meat; if not, we have to go back home," he says. He had dreamed of becoming a nurse in Fiji, but the pay doesn't compare to what he earns in Australia. I'm only human. Of course, I wonder if I'll ever do anything else but cut meat. Recently, the PALM scheme expanded beyond manual labour into industries including aged care; however, switching between sectors for current participants is not straightforward. PALM workers have told SBS News they want greater flexibility to change jobs under the scheme. Source: SBS News / Mridula Amin Now in Queensland, Rayasi says she is thankful to be working in the scheme with a new employer after a tumultuous year. She hopes others like her get a second chance. "We want to contribute to this country, and better our lives too, but we also want dignity and respect."
