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

Before I come to that, can I go back to the previous comment of the honourable member opposite, because he is seeking to twist what I said. I refer him once again to what has already been gazetted. He should not suggest that what has been gazetted is something other than what indeed has been gazetted. Clearly, he full well knows what has been gazetted. I come to the point. The honourable member is aware of the way in which the minimum threshold so far as salary is concerned operates. It operates in a way in which it was set effectively at above the market rate so far as salaries across the board are concerned. It was set at that level above the market rate in order to be a balance against full labour market testing in relation to every position or every job. But if one looks at the average salary that is being paid under 457 visas in Australia, one sees, as is my recollection, that it is of the order of $70,000 or $80,000.

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