Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Hansard source

If I can say respectfully, in relation to the report of the US state department, their criticism is misplaced. This is a report which the honourable gentleman opposite will know arises out of a longer term concern of the United States in relation to trafficking in persons and that largely arises out of trafficking in relation to things such as so-called sexual slavery and sexual servitude and the like. Those same concerns, in my view, are not applicable to the 457 visa program. However, as the honourable gentleman will also know, the government is moving to place some greater sanctions in relation to any sponsor who seeks to abuse the 457 program. To date, the basic sanction against abuse of the program is the removal of the privilege of being able to use that program either for a temporary period of time or for a longer period of time.

What the government proposes, and this was announced some time ago, is that we will put in place a regime of sanctions, including financial penalties, against sponsors or employers, or others, indeed, who abuse that program. As I said, I reject the one line—or two lines; I stand to be corrected—in what was an otherwise glowing report from the US state department. I am sure the honourable member will concede that the report was very supportive of Australia overall. I am sure he will also concede that Australia’s tier 1 ranking under that report indicates that, overall, the US state department not only has no real concerns about Australia but also regards Australia as one of those countries that has an exemplary program so far as these issues are concerned. So I think that comment—to the extent that it was made, in two lines—was misplaced. But even if the honourable gentleman wants, for the sake of argument, to suggest it was not misplaced, the measures that the government is putting in place would deal with those issues anyway.

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