Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to present the report of the New Zealand and Vanuatu delegation of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration entitled Joint Standing Committee on Migration Delegation: New Zealand and Vanuatu 26-31 August 2024.

The report recounts the various meetings and site visits the delegation undertook while in New Zealand and Vanuatu and outlines the matters discussed at these meetings. Australia maintains extremely close and friendly relationships with both of these countries, with migration strongly underpinning and reinforcing these bilateral relationships. The delegation was honoured to have the opportunity to visit these countries to discuss a wide range of matters related to migration. To begin with, the delegation visited Wellington, New Zealand between 26 and 28 August. While in Wellington, the delegation met with a range of organisations and individuals including New Zealand's Associate Minister of Immigration, the Hon. Casey Costello; the New Zealand opposition's spokesperson for Immigration, the Hon. Phil Twyford; New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; New Zealand's education and workforce committee; Health New Zealand; Immigration New Zealand; the New Zealand Red Cross; and the Medical Council of New Zealand.

These meetings provided the delegation with the chance to discuss virtually every aspect of New Zealand's migration system, as well as matters affecting New Zealanders within Australia's migration system, such as the recent changes to allow New Zealand residents in Australia a direct path to Australian citizenship. Of particular interest to the delegation in relation to New Zealand's migration system were: New Zealand's system of seasonal employment, and New Zealand's close relationship with its Pacific neighbours within this system; New Zealand's approach to attracting and retaining international healthcare workers; and New Zealand's approach to settlement services for refugees. The delegation felt that there is scope for Australia to learn from New Zealand's experience in dealing with our own seasonal worker program, our healthcare workforce shortages and our own refugee settlement services.

Between 29 and 31 August the delegation visited Vanuatu's capital city, Port Vila. The delegation's time in Vanuatu provided an opportunity to discuss Vanuatu's participation in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme—the PALM scheme as it's known—by which thousands of Ni-Vanuatu workers have already contributed to Australia's primary industries, and which acts as an important source of remittances and up-skilling for Ni-Vanuatu people. The delegation also discussed the recently announced Pacific engagement visa, which provides up to 150 permanent visas each year for Ni-Vanuatu people wishing to live and work in Australia.

While in Vanuatu, the delegation met with individuals, such as the minister for internal affairs, the Hon. Andrew Napuat MP; Vanuatu's minister for finance, the Hon. Johanny Koanapo MP; and Vanuatu's commissioner of labour, Ms Murielle Meltenoven. The delegation also met with organisations such as V-Lab and Yumi Growem, which provide support for returned seasonal workers to start their own businesses, and with the International Organization for Migration, the IOM, which, among other things, facilitates training for seasonal workers and their families prior to departure. At V-Lab and Yumi Growem, the delegation had the opportunity to meet with former seasonal workers who had used the skills and finances accumulated through participation in the seasonal worker programs to establish small businesses. It was gratifying for the delegation to see how seasonal work in Australia can translate to small business opportunities for Ni-Vanuatu entrepreneurs and contribute to sustained economic growth for Vanuatu. The delegation also visited an IOM facilitated training session for outgoing seasonal workers and their families. The delegation was delighted to have the opportunity to speak firsthand with the seasonal workers destined for Australia to hear about their experiences and expectations.

While in Vanuatu the delegation was honoured to be hosted for an evening reception at the official residence of the Australian High Commissioner to Vanuatu, His Excellency Mr Max Willis. The reception allowed the delegation to speak to Vanuatu's political leaders, including members of Vanuatu's parliament—Madame the Hon. Jenny Regenvau and the lord mayor of Port Vila, Ms Marie Louise Milne—as well as staff of Vanuatu's parliament and officials of the Australian High Commission in Vanuatu.

Finally, on behalf of the delegation, I'd like to thank the officials of the Australian High Commissions in New Zealand and Vanuatu for facilitating such a stimulating and insightful series of meetings and events, and ensuring the delegation was where it needed to be when it needed to be there. I also thank the staff of the International and Parliamentary Relations Office, here in Parliament House in Canberra, for all of their hard work in bringing this program together and for facilitating our travel, accommodation and visas. I also thank Mr Danton Leary, the inquiry secretary to the committee, and the delegation secretary, who ably supported the delegation while in country.

Lastly, I also thank my fellow delegates: Dr Anne Webster, the deputy leader of the delegation and the deputy chair of the committee; Mr Cameron Caldwell and Ms Casandra Fernando for their collegiality and contribution to the delegation. I commend the report to the parliament.

See this speech in context