Annette Hurley (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. Can the minister confirm that her department is investigating allegations that Filipino welders on 457 visas in Brisbane were intimidated and underpaid? Doesn’t this new case join a range of other disturbing cases, including: the use of unskilled labour at T&R meatworks; the underpayment of labour at ABC Tissues; the forced removal of the pregnant wife of a worker; the underpayment of Mr Zhang, the printer; and the sacking of Mr Fu, who had been injured at work? Aren’t these all cases of alleged abuse of the 457 scheme which have been directly raised with the minister, which she has promised to investigate and yet has so far failed to report back on? Given that the minister has said, if questioned about cases of abuse under the 457 scheme, ‘I will make clear what the answer is. I do not think that should be hidden from anybody,’ when will she actually report on the findings of her investigation and what action was taken to enforce the act?

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

There are a number of questions there, and I thank the senator for the opportunity to remind the Senate of the benefit of the 457 visa. It is a visa that is of tremendous value to Australian business, because it allows Australian business to quickly seize opportunities, to grow their business, to secure their business and, therefore, to secure Australian jobs. Bill Clinton used to say, ‘It’s all about the economy, stupid.’ And we say, ‘It’s all about jobs, stupid.’ Sooner or later, people on the other side are going to cotton on. Sooner or later, senators opposite are going to understand that just as unemployment has come down under this government so immigration has gone up. We have used the immigration policy to bring skills into Australia to build Australia’s opportunities—

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I take a point of order. The point of order relates to relevance. The minister is making no attempt to deal with the very serious question asked of her. She continually seeks to tee off and re-run her lines. It is becoming a real problem in the Senate—ministers making no attempt to answer questions, and immediately turning to abuse. Mr President, I would ask you to draw her attention to the question.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I hear your point of order. Minister, I remind you of the question and remind you that the answer should be relevant. You have three minutes to complete your answer.

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

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Urban Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If you go to work at four, you do.

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

It is not a question of what hours you work; it is a question of whether you invite the ABC into your house. They were allegedly only there for a few hours. I saw the ABC there—rather conveniently—a few hours later when, allegedly, the workers were taking calls from their wives in the Philippines. It was just fortuitous that these things all came together at the time the ABC cameras were there. The allegation is that some workers have been sacked—that is what the ABC says—as a consequence of their deciding to join a union. The department is investigating this. I should say that I had some advice provided from another source just before question time which leads me to conclude that this may be like many of the other allegations raised—ones that need very careful attention. For example, an allegation was raised with respect to Halliburton: we were told that Indonesian workers were getting paid $20 to $40 a day. That was only their daily bonus—they were getting paid something like $A60,000. Or there is the example of the Czech workers at the Holden plant, who were installing highly specialist equipment. Senator, you can be sure I will be looking very closely at this one.

Annette Hurley (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. The minister stated that two per cent of employers sponsoring 457 visa holders are currently under investigation by her department. Doesn’t that equate to 200 employers who are currently under investigation for breaching the laws on 457 visas? Just how many 457 visa workers were employed by these employers, and how can the minister provide a reassurance that the system is properly protecting workers on 457 visas?

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

The senator may not have been listening. I gave her the actual number of employers as at 7 September. It may have gone up by now. I indicated it was 182 and followed up by saying that that was about two per cent, or a 98 per cent compliance rate—which I do not assume. But if that were the case it would be a 98 per cent compliance rate, and with any branch of the law that would be a very good compliance rate.

The senator will understand that in any law enforcement activity, rather than checking every single thing, one works on a targeted approach to where there are high risks. That is why when they do random breath testing they don’t put them in back alleys; they put them in places where, and at times when, they believe they will catch people. We have a targeted approach to this. We are happy with what we are doing, but we are always happy to receive any advice from the public. I am sorry that the union has not taken up the offer to come to us and work with us when questions are raised. The union was specifically written to in September, has not replied and has not— (Time expired)