Turnbull no longer dog-whistling, now just barking at One-Nation
Turnbull no longer dog-whistling, now just barking at One Nation
Greens immigration spokesperson Nick McKim said that today’s so-called announcement was so scarce on detail it was little more than a jingoistic lullaby sung to sooth One Nation voters.
“While the current 457 visa process is not perfect, today’s Prime Ministerial revelations owe more to the government’s panic over its loss of support to One Nation than to a genuine desire for reform,” said Mr. McKim.
“The IT and innovation sectors rely heavily on overseas skilled workers, so it's important that the government doesn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
“We will await details on the government’s new visa process, and hope that they are forthcoming soon so the debate can move past the kind of patriotic guff we heard from the PM today.
Greens employment spokesperson Adam Bandt MP said that Malcolm Turnbull’s announcement to scrap 457 visas shows he’s no longer dog-whistling, he’s barking.
“As the government follows One Nation, we’re getting the worst of both worlds: nationalistic rhetoric without meaningful change,” said Mr. Bandt.
“While The Greens’ have consistently called for changes to 457 visas, including local advertising of jobs, we’ve done it without the racist ‘Australia First’ rhetoric. It’s telling that this government will only make policy changes if it can include a dose of racism.
“The current s457 visa system exploits overseas and local workers alike.
“We can fix our laws to protect workers without the kind of nationalistic slogans you might hear chanted at a Cronulla race riot.”
Media Contact: Gideon Reisner, 0429 109 054
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