David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Senator Vanstone. Will the minister outline to the Senate the important contribution being made by skilled migrants to the booming Australian economy?

Amanda Vanstone (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question. Coming from Western Australia, he understands, as all Australians do, that we are in the middle of an economic boom, which is great news. He also understands that it has led to skills shortages, which might be particularly felt in a state like Western Australia, where the resources boom is having a particular effect. He understands the tremendous use of 457 visas all around Australia, but particularly in Western Australia. The senator understands that eight state and territory Labor governments support these visas. They are designed to make the most of economic conditions. They are designed for businesses to be able to stay in business, to help grow the economy, to grow business and to therefore employ more Australians.

I was surprised to see last Friday that my colleague Senator Webber was on the ABC announcing that one particular abattoir in Western Australia—Fletcher’s International Abattoirs—was exploiting skilled migration visas and bringing in cheap labour from overseas. This was of course denied by Fletcher’s International in Albany, which does bring in some workers from overseas. It claimed that it does attract local workers. Senator Webber is unhappy because she said:

If people are prepared to advertise in Australia and pay award or enterprise bargaining agreement rates of pay then I’m sure they can find the people that are prepared to do that kind of work ...

Senator Webber might have liked to have said that to the union movement before they advertised in the United States for a job that we could not see advertised in Australia. But, in any event, Mr Fletcher of Fletcher’s International has been on the ABC rejecting this allegation and he pointed out that in fact 10 abattoirs in Western Australia are looking for meat workers and that people could not want a job very badly because they have plenty to pick from.

Senator Webber’s comments highlight hypocrisy on this issue. Senator Webber is saying, ‘If you just advertise, you’ll be able to get who you want.’ That is the point. Senator Webber said, ‘If you just advertise in Australia or pay the award rate or EBA rates of pay then I’m sure you can find the people that are prepared to do that work.’ But that is completely inconsistent with the Western Australian government, which wrote to us and asked if we could make special arrangements for Western Australia to get some more meat workers in quickly on 457 visas. It is not apparent that Senator Webber speaks to her state colleagues. That is something that we all might understand; there are occasions when none of us do. I understand that, but it is not usually wise to go on radio and announce that your own state does not need any more meat workers and that all you have to do is advertise and they will come along when you apparently do not realise that your own state Treasurer, I think, has written to the federal government and asked for assistance.

This is a very interesting point to make. We are working with the Western Australian government, as we work with all the state governments. It is not only the states and territories that are amongst the biggest users; there are others and there is plenty more to say about the other users. The 457 system was criticised by Mr Ripper, who said that it should favour Western Australia more. There is no cap; if Western Australia wants to apply for more, if the Western Australian government wants be a sponsor of more, we are happy to help them in other ways as we do the other states. In 2005-06, 260 grants of these visas were for the Western Australian state government: 220 of them in health—a 34 per cent increase on the previous year. (Time expired)

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a supplementary question. Could the minister further expand upon the requirements of states to access 457 visas, particularly the state of Western Australia?

Amanda Vanstone (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying in the answer that I have just given, Western Australia has had a 34 per cent increase since 2004-05 in the use of these visas, but there would be other government instrumentalities within Western Australia that would use them. The Western Australian councils are also seeking workers from Britain and Ireland—they do not have to worry about Beijing, Beirut or Bombay. The Western Australian Local Government Association chief, Ricky Burges, in the West Australian last week said the recruiting drive did meet some resistance, but she said: ‘Look, we’re happy to employ locals, but in effect we just can’t get them. Many of the councils are really stretched.’ States and territories have sponsored, facilitated, brokered and recruited something like 50,000 overseas workers since 2001—not all of them on 457s. Since 2002 South Australia has more than quadrupled its state sponsored skilled migration intake and Queensland’s has more than tripled, as has Western Australia’s. (Time expired)