Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

If evidence is presented to the right authorities, action is taken. Action is always taken on the presentation of evidence. It is okay to raise speculative things, but when evidence is produced action is taken. It just shows how responsible this government is concerning the 457 visas.

There are some important issues in this debate. There has been talk about low wages. There is an absolute minimum wage that must be paid to anyone on a 457 visa, and we cannot go below that. The average wage for 457 class visas is $65,000 per annum. I do not call that a low wage, not by any stretch of the imagination. The minimum wage that must be paid, as was stated earlier, is $41,850. In regional areas, the wage cannot go below the award. It cannot go below agreed award wages. It just cannot do that. The talk of low wages is a furphy. It is a scare tactic aimed at trying to disrupt this government.