The comments from Australian National University's Dr Rochelle Bailey come after a number of Pacific island workers appeared at a federal parliamentary inquiry into allegations of worker abuse under the Pacific Labour Mobility scheme.
Speaking at the inquiry, Vanuatu worker Sergio said conditions became so bad on his farm that he and some other workers stayed at home on strike for a week.
"I called the union to come and help us to buy the food," Sergio told the inquiry.
[My employer] come in and forced us to go to work and I said 'No'."
