Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Lundy. I refer the minister to comments made by a spokesperson for the former Minister for Immigration and Citizenship just last month that:

The 457 visa program is designed to address genuine labour shortages that cannot be met from the Australian labour market, and we believe we have this balance right.

I also refer the minister to comments made by the new minister for immigration just last weekend:

We have seen too many examples of abuse across the nation.

He also said:

… the government has evidence that … employers … are using 457 visas to discriminate against locals.

Can the minister explain how the balance has changed on 457 visas, and what specific evidence the government relied upon to support the minister's new claims?