Kelvin Thomson (Wills, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Employment, in writing, on 14 November 2014:

Will the Government consider cutting the permanent worker program to previous levels of around 25,000 per annum, in the context of reducing unacceptably high unemployment figures in Melbourne's north west.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Employment has provided the following answer to the honourable member's question:

The focus of Australia's migration programmes has changed over time and current policy balances the contribution of skilled migration to the workforce and economic productivity, with Australia's social, humanitarian and international obligations.

The Government has a comprehensive Economic Action Strategy which will create more job opportunities for Australians. Regrettably, the Government's positive agenda has been rejected at every turn by Mr Thomson and his colleagues in the Green Labor Alliance.