Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

As I said, my question is to Senator Vanstone, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. Does the minister recall my question on 14 June 2006 on the potential for employers to require workers on 457 visas to work excessive hours for the minimum salary level? Does the minister recall arrogantly dismissing those concerns? Can the minister also confirm that, when asked about what she would do to close that loophole in the law, she jokingly asked me to call her with evidence of employers exploiting this flaw? Can the minister now explain why she quietly signed off on a regulation, just two weeks after dismissing my question, that clearly specifies a 38-hour week for the minimum salary level? How long had the minister been aware of this loophole? Why was it only after Labor questioned her inaction that she did something to fix it?