Greens to fight for local job protections
Responding to reports that the Government will announce changes to the 457 visa requirements, Greens Deputy Leader and Workplace spokesperson, Adam Bandt MP, said the changes would make life even harder for local workers.
“What Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison are telling every local job seeker is “you’re second best”,” said Mr Bandt.
"As a matter of principle, employers should have to advertise locally first before sourcing workers from overseas.
"The Greens will strongly fight any move to remove the need to advertise locally."
"If employers don't even have to look for workers locally first, the 457 visa program will turn back into a pool of cheap labour from overseas, benefitting some employers at the expense of workers and the long-term skills base of the country.
"At the end of the resources boom, it won't just be profits that have disappeared overseas but skills as well."
"At this rate, we're going to wake up when the boom is over to find we're an uneducated, unskilled, hollowed-out quarry."
"When combined with Tony Abbott's other changes, this move will hit people hard.
"Under Tony Abbott's new regime, a young jobseeker will spend six months a year without any income while they hunt for jobs that now don't even have to be advertised locally.
“If there are skills shortages, we could turn this problem into an opportunity by investing in our people to create lasting skills, jobs and prosperity.
“Tony Abbott wants employers to be able to bring in workers from overseas and potentially pay them less than local workers without having to advertise locally first. It's a recipe for exploitation of both local and overseas workers."