Mia Ayliffe-Chung death: Mother in work safeguards call

Mia Ayliffe-Chung was staying at Shelley's Backpackers in Home Hill, near Townsville, when she was stabbed to death

A stabbed backpacker's mother has called for regulation of Australian farm work, which she believes contributed to her daughter's death.

Mia Ayliffe-Chung, 20, was stabbed at a workers' hostel in Home Hill, near Townsville, on 23 August.

Smail Ayad, 29, has been charged with her murder and that of fellow backpacker Thomas Jackson.

Rosie Ayliffe, from Wirksworth in Derbyshire, said "exploitative" work lead to an "aggressive" atmosphere.

Ms Ayliffe said: "All was well until she got to the farm and she started to message me three or four times from the point till just before her death. There was a tone of anxiety in her messages.

"She was talking about the place as if it was a prison camp."

Mia Ayliffe-Chung was just days into her trip working on a farm when she was killed

To earn a visa to stay more than a year, visitors must complete 88 days unpaid work, which can be allocated on a daily basis.

Ms Ayliffe said Mia was in a remote mixed dormitory with travelling companions.

"Unfortunately also in the dorm was her killer," she said.

"To me this man is emerging - he has a criminal record, he is an ex-cage fighter and he has been put in a hostel, in a dorm, in a bedroom with a young girl. That could have been avoided.

"The whole place had a febrile, intense, aggressive atmosphere, caused by competition for work but also a complete lack of any entertainment in the evening.

"Anyone who looks after young people knows they need things to do in the evening or they start scrapping."

She has started a campaign and petition calling on the Australian government to introduce basic standards and a duty of care in the industry.

Mr Ayad, a French national, has also been charged with 12 counts of serious assault and one count of serious animal cruelty.