Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in this adjournment debate to talk about a very serious issue that is confronting the employers in my electorate of Maranoa and particularly in what I would call the Surat coal basin, including my own hometown of Roma. The Surat coal basin and the Darling Downs statistical area stretches from just west of Toowoomba right through to Charleville down to Goondiwindi.

There are approximately 100 workers in this region that I am aware of—there may be more—who are on 457 visas. They are in the communities of Goondiwindi, Injune, St George, Roma and Charleville. Interestingly enough, they are engaged not only in the health sector and the public sector but also in sawmills, diesel engineering services, the hospitality industry—including working at ‘Maccas’ and the local coffee shop—and the meatworks out in Charleville and, of course, on farms. In fact, this morning I met students from the Wallumbilla State School in Parliament House. One of the students from the school visiting Parliament House was the son of a 457 visa worker. His father is working on a pastoral property north of Wallumbilla.

I recognise that Australia’s economy is experiencing a downturn and, with one million Australians who are forecast to be out of work towards the end of next year or into the following year, we are certainly facing some challenges and some worrying times. But let us be realistic about this: is a Sydney professional or, for example, a stockbroker who finds himself unemployed going to pack up his family and come out to Charleville in western Queensland because there is a job vacancy or a possibility of replacing a 457 worker in a meatworks? Let us be realistic about this. Is someone who might be working in hospitality and finding it difficult to get a job down at Bondi beach or the Gold Coast going to pack up their family and come out to Roma to work in the McDonald’s restaurant there or the local coffee shop? It is just not going to happen.

Charleville is 800 kilometres west of Brisbane and Roma is 500 kilometres west of Brisbane. If these workers were even thinking of going out there, they have to leave a home, family and extended family behind in the hope that they will get secure and long-term employment out in western Queensland—and that is just not going to happen. That is why these 457 visas have been absolutely invaluable. I am sure you, Mr Deputy Speaker Adams—having worked in the shearing industry in western Queensland—can understand the remoteness, the tyranny of distance, and the importance of being able to attract good workers.

A lot of this has been brought about because of the resources boom. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Julie Bishop, generously took time out of her very busy schedule last week to visit my electorate. She visited Dalby and Roma, where we had very successful meetings with the regional council, people who are employing 457 workers, and small businesses. She also took the time to talk to other people in the community. I want to thank the member for Curtin for the time she devoted to come and see firsthand the growth of Surat coal basin and what is happening to that part of Queensland. That region is actually growing at the rate of 10 per cent per year. They are official figures. The unemployment level is 1.6 per cent and falling. So not only can you say that there is full employment; it is impossible to get new workers. Why? It is due to the growth in power generation using the coal seam methane gas being produced in the area, and of course the value that agriculture adds on top of that. Roma boasts the largest cattle-selling centre in the Southern Hemisphere and it is the centre of the nation’s oil and gas industry. And, as I said a moment ago, it has an unemployment rate of 1.7 per cent. So these 457 visas are absolutely essential.

I understand that there have been changes to the way these visas will be granted in the future, but I know the minister has some discretionary powers and I would hope that she would use those powers and recognise the importance of the resource sector. It is important that businesses be able to keep going. If they do not, it is going to have an effect on the overall economy. I call on the minister to make sure that, through her department, these businesses—whether it is in the pastoral sector, the hospitality area, meatworks or sawmills—are able to continue to employ these 457 visa holders. They fit into our community. They are an invaluable resource, and they are not taking jobs away from Australians.