Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

That is right. Some of them are the biggest users, Senator, but this is complex. That is what I am saying: it is complex. So the discussion paper picks up all those issues. As I have said, there is an enormous amount of consultation and discussion going on around these changes. The Skilled Migration Consultative Panel are going to have the draft regulations referred to them. They will not agree on them all—I am sure of that—but we will have this process, the arguments will be held and in the end the government will have to make a decision.

I know there has been interest by Senator Xenophon and the Greens in this issue of regulations. I have made it clear that I am happy to distribute the draft of the regulations earlier in the year before they are introduced. I am happy to do that for the Liberal opposition and Senator Fielding so everyone sees the draft and everyone can give feedback. But I absolutely reject any suggestion that there has not been consultation about all this, and I am happy to compare the consultation on these measures with that on the former minister’s more substantive measures which were just announced.

There is a serious attempt here to tackle an emerging problem about the public policy parameters around the temporary skilled migration program. There are more emerging, quite frankly, as the economy turns down a bit. I appreciate the support from around the chamber. As I said, I will make draft regulations available to people before they are introduced and they will certainly go to the industry’s Skilled Migration Consultative Panel. Hopefully, at the end of this we will have a good outcome. Obviously it will not be agreed upon by all, but I think we will have regulations that provide integrity to the scheme, which has been under pressure, and protect overseas workers but ensure that Australian workers are protected from overseas labour undercutting employment opportunities for Australians. That is the right balance that we have got to get. I think that when we come to the draft regulations we will be able to get that balance right. I thank the Senate for its support for the bill.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.