Andrew Robb (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The intention to have such a visa was first announced in April 2005. The workplace relations legislation had not passed the Senate and did not have any prospect of doing so at that time. Consultations on implementation were held with state and territory authorities throughout 2005. State and territory authorities had to be consulted because they are a vital part of the process. This is ignored again and again in everything the member for Watson has to say.

The fact is that the visa has its origins in representations that were made by Golden West group training, and I am proud to acknowledge their involvement. They are a big employer of Australian apprentices and that has to be recognised. At a meeting in Senator Vanstone’s office in December 2003, and in annual consultations with stakeholders conducted by Minister Vanstone since then, many employers mentioned the difficulty of finding apprentices as a major constraint on their businesses. Discussions with stakeholders on the possibility of something like this training visa, including the TAFE and training sector, were held in 2004. This has a long history and it gives the lie to your suggestion that we are playing politics. We are playing policy. We are trying to do something about the future of Australians, not play politics. Mr Burke has his facts wrong and, in my view, should apologise in the House this week.

The government has implemented this visa after long consultations with many stakeholders, including employers and state governments. Labor always forget that you cannot have jobs without employers—I understand that; I have seen it for years—but it surprises me that they do not seem to have been in touch with state and territory governments, all of which are Labor at the moment. If they had had those discussions rather than coming in here playing politics, they would have properly understood the very hard protections in place for young Australians in this visa. The visas are administrated by state governments—people of the same political party as you, who are willing and able to discuss the arrangements in place—and they would have confirmed with you that protections are in place—

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