Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Reynolds. In 2012-13, 1,473 workers came to Australia in the first full year of the Seasonal Worker Program. The 2007-18 mid-year economic and fiscal outlook projected that 1,900 workers would come to Australia under the Pacific Labour Scheme in 2018-19. How many workers have come to Australia under the Pacific Labour Scheme since it commenced on 1 July 2018?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator very much for that question. I have folders full of answers, but I don't have one on that in particular, so I'll take it on notice. Actually, I've just been passed those papers, so in fact I will now answer the question for Senator Chisholm—just in time! In relation to the Pacific labour mobility scheme, claims that the PLS is not meeting the targets are simply wrong. The PLS never had a target of 2,000 places in year one; 2,000 was originally the maximum cap on the number of places. The cap was removed as part of our Pacific step-up initiatives. The PLS is demand-driven and it fills positions when Australians cannot be found.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Wong on a point of order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It may be that the minister is getting to this, but I do ask her to consider the question. I appreciate she's only just been handed the brief, but the question actually went to how many workers have come to Australia under the labour scheme since July 2018.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You've reminded the minister of the latter part of the question.

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think I was being extremely relevant, because I was talking about the numbers and I was only 30 seconds into the answer. If I continue—and I thank Senator Wong for her extreme courtesy in this case—in relation to the numbers, Australia remains firmly committed to the growth of the Seasonal Worker Program and the new Pacific Labour Scheme. Experience from the Seasonal Worker Program indicate strong growth over time. Now in its 11th year, with over 12,000 workers in 2018-19, the program granted 56 visas in the first pilot year. Ten countries are now participating in both the Seasonal Worker Program and the Pacific Labour Scheme. There are workers from Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The program has achieved an average annual growth rate of over 40 per cent since 2012. The Pacific Labour Scheme has processed and approved 50 employers in the first year of operation. So that program has 50 employers in two years of operation, following a four-year pilot.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chisholm, a supplementary question.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister aware that the government's decision to deregulate the working holiday-maker visa program has seen significant increases in people coming to Australia on backpacker visas and significant increases in the number of these people gaining extensions for their stay in Australia? Does the minister agree that this deregulation of backpacker visas is curtailing Australian employers' interest in the Pacific Labour Scheme?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll have to take that one on notice, because I don't have anything on that. It seems like you've changed topics from Pacific labour mobility to backpacker legislation. I'll take it on notice.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chisholm, a final supplementary question.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why has the government allowed a central program under its Pacific step-up strategy to be sabotaged by the Nationals? Was it because the foreign minister was rolled in the cabinet by the Deputy Prime Minister?

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I completely and utterly reject the whole premise of that question. It was a political assertion and it wasn't a question at all. I completely reject the assertion.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.