Amanda Vanstone (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

What I have consistently said about the 457 visa is it is one of the most valuable visas to the Australian economy because it does allow skills shortages to be filled and to be filled quickly. But within that there is a tremendous range; people on salaries of hundreds of thousands of dollars are on these visas.

What appears to be a shortage nationally is not necessarily the same as a shortage for a particular company in a particular place. The senator might want to put the proposition—I would be interested if he does—that if you and your wife are in Perth and there is a job available in Queensland, and your wife is working and you are not, that your wife should quit her job and that you should move to Queensland for that job. The fact that there is not a national shortage does not mean that there is not a particular shortage in a particular area. (Time expired)