Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Will the minister update the House on the role of 457 visas in creating jobs and building the economy? How does engaging with our overseas neighbours help boost jobs and growth here in Australia? What are the obstacles to this engagement?

Mr Champion interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have asked the member for Wakefield to cease interjecting a number of times. He is now warned.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Wright. He is a great local member in his electorate, which is also home to Stanbroke, a great pastoral company and abattoir at Grantham. They use the 457 visa program to fill many of the positions at the abattoir. Ultimately, they are responsible for employing, directly and indirectly, hundreds of Australians. They are one of the small businesses and the businesses across the country that we hold up and champion because they have been part of the success story in this country.

Mr Champion interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Wakefield has been warned. It is his final warning.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There has been a lot said on the other side in relation to 457s, and I want to go into some of the detail because it is instructive to understand what drives the modern Labor Party, remembering that this is not the Labor Party of Hawke and Keating; this is the Labor Party of Shorten and Plibersek. It is backward looking and it is completely reliant on the union movement. This government has been criticised for the use of the 457 visa program, but the reality is that there are less people today who use the 457 visa program than when Labor was in government.

That shows the hypocrisy of Labor in their approach to all of these issues. They are running around with a scare campaign on the free trade agreement with China and with the agreement that the trade minister arrived at last week. These agreements will result in hundreds of thousands of jobs in this country. Over a period of time, the economic benefit to our country will be unbelievable—

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

Mr Conroy interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gorton will cease interjecting. The member for Charlton will cease interjecting.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and the future of our country will depend on these success stories. Why does the Labor Party oppose this? It is because they are completely dominated by the labour union movement. That is the sad reality. Yesterday we pointed out the contrast with this side of the parliament, where almost every hand went up in terms of those people who come from a small business background. There was one hand that went up on the opposition side, and I warned yesterday that something would happen to him. Where has he gone? Where has the member gone that nominated himself yesterday to be from a small business background?

The member for Melbourne Ports is not here today; he has been banished from this chamber.

It demonstrates that this Labor Party is completely out of touch with the Australian public. We have put in place a regime that will build business in this country and which will be of benefit to the Australian public, to the men, to the women and to their grandchildren in generations to come. We will provide future opportunities for them. The modern Labor Party is completely dominated by the union movement, and it is not in the best interests of this country.