His comments were aimed at addressing the grievances facing many of the 33,000 migrants on the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme. PALM workers hail from the Pacific Islands and East Timor to fill the shortage of unskilled and low-skilled labour across regional Australia. Dr Cockayne noted in 2024 there was a consistent picture that PALM workers were growing vulnerable to modern slavery. The ongoing evidence and lack of action regarding PALM workers was also called out by federal anti-slavery commissioner Chris Evans on Tuesday. A recent nation-wide poll from The Australia Institute canvassed more than 2000 people and two-thirds responded in support of PALM workers' rights to change jobs and access Medicare.