Linda Kirk (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Vanstone, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. Does the minister recall allegations aired on The 7.30 Report last month that recruitment firms are deducting an eight per cent commission from the wages of workers on 457 visas? Can the minister confirm that, when specifically asked about the allegation on the program, she stated:

... there is a list of what it is acceptable to deduct and what it’s not to deduct and anyone who’s doing the wrong thing will get caught and dealt with.

Can the minister confirm that the list of what cannot be deducted from wages under the regulations for 457 visas does not include agency commissions? Did the minister knowingly mislead the public or is she just ignorant of her own legislation?

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

Neither of the above.

Linda Kirk (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister confirm that there is nothing to stop a recruitment agency deducting an eight per cent or even 18 per cent commission from the wages of workers on 457 visas who will then be left with wages significantly below the minimum specified under the legislation? Why aren’t agency fees included on the list of items that cannot be deducted from wages?

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

As the senator may be aware, the Prime Minister had this matter raised at COAG. It was then referred from COAG back to the ministerial council. As a consequence of that, officers at the state and federal level have had meetings. There are a range of changes that we are looking at as a consequence of that, and the opportunities for agents overseas to charge is one matter that we may well be looking at.