Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance and Responsibility) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I again remind the minister, and perhaps in response to the supplementary she could answer, that the primary question was about the fact that the government has removed the requirement that any positions be offered to Australians before employing someone under a 457 visa. I also ask the minister: hasn’t the removal of any requirement to offer such positions to Australians simply opened up the program to rorting by unscrupulous employers? Can she confirm that employers have complained to her department about competitors using the 457 program to gain an advantage by employing temporary foreign workers on wages well below current market rates? Can she explain why the Howard government believes qualified Australians should be bypassed by employers looking to undercut wages?