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

Thank you, Mr President, for your assistance. The question relates to 457 visas and what the department is doing about them. I think the Senate is entitled to know that as at 7 September we were investigating some 182 employers out of about 10,000 participating employers—that is, around two per cent of employers. The Senate might also like to know that nearly 70 per cent of those investigations have been initiated either by the department or by the 457 visa holders themselves. In 2005-06 we monitored 6,471 sponsors and we site-visited 1,790. A range of allegations have been made. They all take time to investigate—I make no bones about that.

Am I aware that I was asked specifically about the allegations in relation to three Filipino welders? I am aware of those allegations. I was made aware of those allegations by the ABC and then in a subsequent report on the ABC. I was interested to note that the ABC was, apparently, at the house of some of these workers at four o’clock in the morning. If that does not tell anyone that there is a set-up going on here—you don’t usually invite the ABC into your house at four o’clock in the morning—