Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware that the Chief Executive of the Australian Meat Industry Council, Mr Kevin Cottrill, has confirmed on ABC radio that the immigration department is not processing applications for skilled meatworkers under the 457 visa program because of concerns that some employers are breaching the visa conditions? Prime Minister, if this program is not being systematically abused, why has it been suspended?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The direct answer to the first part of the question is no, I am not. But let me just respond to the logic inherent in the member’s question. I would have thought that, if the immigration department were refraining from processing applications because it thought something was wrong, the immigration department was doing its job.