Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Lundy. I refer the minister to comments made by a spokesperson for the former Minister for Immigration and Citizenship just last month that:

The 457 visa program is designed to address genuine labour shortages that cannot be met from the Australian labour market, and we believe we have this balance right.

I also refer the minister to comments made by the new minister for immigration just last weekend:

We have seen too many examples of abuse across the nation.

He also said:

… the government has evidence that … employers … are using 457 visas to discriminate against locals.

Can the minister explain how the balance has changed on 457 visas, and what specific evidence the government relied upon to support the minister's new claims?

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Gillard government values the 457 visa subclass as it provides short-term labour in industries and regions experiencing skill shortages, and the vast majority of employers use the scheme as it was intended. It has become very clear, however, that some employers are abusing the 457 visa system, which is costing job opportunities for Australian workers. We are making no apology for making jobs for Australian workers our top priority as a government.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh! I ask a supplementary question—

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is hilarious, is it?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, as is the case with every other senator who asks a question, you are entitled to be heard in silence. Those on my right will remain silent.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer to the recent testimony before Senate estimates by departmental secretary Martin Bowles, in which he made no reference to any concerns or investigations regarding abuses of the 457 program. Can the minister advise whether the department has undertaken any recent inquiries, reviews or investigations into abuses of the 457 program and, if so, when were the findings presented to the government and in what form, bearing in mind the minister's answer to my first question where she clearly alluded to this particular evidence?

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In one particular case which was investigated by the department of immigration a company approved to sponsor one hundred 457 visa holders was found to have an entire construction site with over four hundred 457 visa holders and no local employees. This cannot continue, and that is why the government is implementing the recommendations of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Skilled Migration—a tripartite body made up of employers, unions and state and territory officials.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I refer to the fact that skilled migrants on 457 visas who come to Australia are able to obtain a permanent skilled visa under the employer sponsored program and have the lowest rate of unemployment of all migrant groups. Given this outcome, why are the government targeting migrants who get jobs and pay taxes, rather than reversing their border protection policy failures that have allowed tens of thousands of people to arrive illegally on boats and claim welfare?

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That final question just exposes, I think, the shallow contempt with which the opposition approach all these issues. Serious questions about the integrity of the 457-class visa system, which we are responding to, are now twisted into some bizarre attack on our efforts, despite their worst attempts, to manage the asylum seeker issue. Senator Cash just undermined her credibility completely. Australian workers understand our motivation in tidying up 457-class visas.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.