Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of Joint Standing Committee on Migration, I present the committee's report entitled Report of the inquiry into migration in regional Australia.

Ordered that the report be made a parliamentary paper.

by leave—On Monday the member for Calwell and I made statements about the migration committee report into migration in regional Australia. Today I am pleased to present that report.

This inquiry was originally referred to the committee in August 2019. Since that time, both Australia and the world have undergone massive changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of these changes and their impact on the Australian economy and the flow of migrants, the committee determined it was best to conclude the inquiry rather than continue with the program of public hearings in regional areas around the country.

I won't repeat what I said about the report on Monday.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank some of those people who I was not able to mention on Monday. Specifically those who hosted the committee during the site visits it conducted in South Australia in late 2019. Specifically, the committee needs to thank Mr Philip Mayes, founder and CEO of Mighty Kingdom; Mr Tony Clark, managing director of Rising Sun Pictures; Mr Michael Schuit, human resources manager at Costa Mushrooms; Mr Ian Lines, owner of Holla-Fresh herb farm; Father Dean Marin of St Paul's Catholic Church in Mount Gambier; and Antonia Vorenas of Metro Bakery and Cafe, also in Mount Gambier. I also wanted to acknowledge the member for Barker. He and his office played a vital role in organising these visits. Similarly the member for O'Connor gave us advice about people to see in Katanning and Kalgoorlie who we spoke to on teleconference. These site visits were immensely valuable in informing the committee of the work undertaken in regional areas to boost the skills base, fill important employment gaps and smooth the settlement process for migrants to regional areas.

I commend this report to the House. I move:

That the House take note of the report.

Debate adjourned.