Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware that, despite the government’s own conditions of the 457 visa, Mr Fu’s contract, this contract I am holding, with Shanghai Overseas Employment Services states that changing employers is not allowed and that joining a union, becoming pregnant or impregnating others is a breach of contract? Prime Minister, despite the comments about illegality, given 457 visa holders believe their employer has a right to dismiss and a right to deport, are you satisfied that all cases of abuse of the 457 visa are being reported? Is your 457 visa program out of control or is it doing exactly what you want—driving wages and conditions down?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I remind member for Watson he should address his question through the chair.

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Watson asks effectively: can I give a guarantee that all abuses are being reported? No, I can’t—nobody can—anymore than I can give a guarantee that a law we pass or a law any government passes is fully implemented and anymore than a minister in a New South Wales or any government can give a guarantee that every law in that state is fully obeyed and every abuse is reported. Of course I cannot.

What I can do is adopt a common-sense approach to this issue. I am glad that the member for Watson asked me that question because this morning in his doorstop he said in relation to 457s: ‘You can’t scrap them; you need to have a system of temporary work visas.’

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, we do; that is right. We have established that point. We have now established the point that we need to have a system.

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Macklin interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition is warned!

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have also established that the greatest users of 457s are state Labor governments. They love them. The proposition that they are being used as a tool to drive down wages is palpable nonsense. In fact, the wage requirements in relation to 457s, if you look at them carefully, directly refute that argument.