Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I can in fact confirm that the labour provisions associated with the ChAFTA sit within our existing skilled visa program, including our 457 visa program. This of course is the same 457 visa program that elements of the trade union movement have been attacking for years. So, as Minister Cash said earlier this week, given the revelation that multiple trade unions in Australia have employed subclass 457 visa holders, the long-term coordinated campaign the union movement has waged against the 457 program, and what they are now trying to do against the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, is frankly an act of incredible hypocrisy and duplicity. In fact, over at least the five years, at least 41 subclass 457 visa holders have been sponsored by over eight unions in Australia. That level of hypocrisy is quite remarkable. As we said in the chamber earlier this week, not since Mr McTernan was employed on a 457 visa have we had such blatant hypocrisy from the union movement. (Time expired)