Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended his government's efforts to plug desperate farm labour shortages ahead of a looming harvest crisis.
About 26,000 extra workers are needed to pick fruit and vegetables this summer, according to industry-commissioned research by auditing firm EY.
Mr Morrison said it was important Australians took up the opportunities.
"There is jobs out there in the bush. There's jobs out there in the Riverina. There's jobs out there for people to be able to support our farmers get this harvest in," he told 2GB radio on Thursday.
The prime minister said the government was allowing job seekers to earn $300 a fortnight without affecting welfare payments.
Backpackers working on farms can stay with one employer for more than six months and stay in Australia an extra year, while Pacific worker schemes have reopened.
There is speculation next week's budget will include one-off cash handouts for young people to relocate to the regions for work.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack believes young Australians could be enticed by the prospect of finding love and snapping an Instagram moment while working on farms.
Mr Morrison said if that encouraged people to fill vacancies, he supported it.
"That's a classic Big Mac comment. That's the sort of thing we hear from him quite a bit behind closed doors as well. That's the lighter side of it," he said.
"But the truth is we need to get this harvest in."
A bipartisan parliamentary committee wants the government to consider student loan discounts as part of a campaign for Australians to take a regional gap year.
Harvest labour is a long-standing issue for the horticulture industry, which has also at times grappled with worker exploitation.
The government previously committed to an agricultural visa before announcing a raft of measures to extend overseas farm worker schemes.
Australian Associated Press
