George Campbell (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Vanstone, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. Does the minister recall her comments yesterday about the minimum salary of $41,850 for temporary foreign skilled workers? She said:

... if someone were working exorbitant hours to earn that—and, as I said before, it is a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay—the immigration department would regard that as a breach of the conditions.

Is the minister aware that foreign temporary skilled workers being paid the minimum wage would have to work over 63 hours a week in order to reach the minimum salary of $41,850 specified in the regulations? Does the minister think it is exorbitant that foreign workers can be forced to work up to 63 hours a week in order to earn $41 850?