INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (15:04): My question is to the Minister for Industrial Relations. Why is Immigration SA insisting that some employers pay above award wages before they will recommend 457 visa holders for permanent residency? The opposition has been told of at least one case where Immigration SA has insisted that an employer pay above award wages to 457 visa holders before Immigration SA will recommend their permanent residency.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations) (15:05): I would be very surprised if the member's allegation is correct. I will take the question on notice. Immigration SA does an outstanding job in assisting a large multitude of companies throughout South Australia to attract skilled immigrants under visas such as 457—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: What are you shaking your head for?

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: You don't think they do a good job?

Mr Williams: No, they don't.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: They don't?

Mr Williams: No, I have seen cases where they have taken many months.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: What, for your property in the South-East?

Mr Williams: No, for a good South Australian business.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Right. I accept that the member for MacKillop is not across everything—in fact, it appears to me he is across very little. I do not think the problem, with all due respect, is Immigration SA. The problem is at the federal level. The federal Minister for Immigration said only this week that he is putting a lot of pressure on the immigration department to fast track a significant backlog of some 6,000 457 applications that have not been processed.

There is no doubt that the incredible popularity of 457s at a time of significant skills shortage has put an enormous strain on the federal department of immigration. That happened under the Howard Liberal government and it is happening under the early days of a Rudd Labor government. What is happening, Mr Speaker, is that—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: What?

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Well, just tell her to put a sock in it, will you? The 457 issue is one where we want to see a much speedier and quicker process at a federal level. However, as it relates to Immigration SA, I would be very surprised if that allegation is correct. I will get it checked out, but there are rules and requirements about wages. What we will not allow to happen in South Australia is to allow 457s to be abused, and that is to bring labour in at undercut awards, undercut wages and conditions. As a government, we need to be extremely vigilant to the extent that we can that that is not occurring.

Ms Chapman: That's a different point.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: It may be a different point, but the point I am making is that we work in a situation where we employ all due diligence that we can to ensure that workforce wages and conditions are not being undercut and undermined. To suggest that we would impose a requirement that an employer pay above the award would be, if not illegal, very questionable, and I would be surprised that today would be the first time I would be hearing about it.