Entrepreneurial Visas

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (14:54): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking questions of the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment regarding entrepreneurial visas.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.E. HANSON: The Australian Institute's Centre for Future Work 'The Dimensions of Insecure Work' report says that:

Immigration can make a very positive contribution to Australia's economic and social development, if supported with education, settlement assistance and legal protections. Temporary migrant labour, in contrast, is highly vulnerable to insecurity, isolation, and exploitation. The growing use of this form of labour by employers has clearly contributed to the generalised problem of insecure work in Australia.

The report goes on to say that:

The erosion of the standard employment relationship has been experienced most directly, and most painfully, by young workers. They confront the prevalence of insecure work head-on, unprotected by the traditional arrangements that carry over in many long-standing jobs. Few young people can attain permanent, full-time, decently paid work. 55 per cent of employees under age 25 are in casual jobs. Almost 40 per cent are paid according to the minimum terms of a modern award. Average earnings for workers under 25 are just $561 per week—less than half the average for the overall labour market.

On Sunday 4 March 2018, the Liberal Party announced an agreement with the federal government to pilot a new entrepreneurial visa program in South Australia. My questions to the minister are:

1. Will South Australia or the commonwealth government be handling the vetting and application processes of the new pilot program?

2. Have any legal issues been raised by the relevant state or commonwealth department or any other relevant stakeholder on the implementation of this new pilot program?

3. Is South Australia required to commit any resources to implement this initiative?

4. How many people have applied to take part in this new entrepreneurial visa program in South Australia?

5. Which state or commonwealth department will be handling the visa initiative on an ongoing basis?

6. How much has this program to date cost the taxpayers of South Australia, and how much will this program cost South Australian taxpayers into the future?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:56): I thank the honourable member for his question. As he has rightly mentioned in his explanation, we announced a pilot program, an entrepreneurial visa program, with the federal government prior to the election. It is a pilot in South Australia, and we are looking forward to rolling that out. I think it is an exciting initiative. It will be a first for South Australia and a first for Australia, so we are looking to roll that out.

The final details are still being worked through with the commonwealth. Obviously, we are still going through some other negotiations in relation to the costs. I am not aware at this stage of any legal issues that have been raised in relation to this pilot for entrepreneurial visas. In relation to resources and numbers, those details will be released as we roll that program out. Of course, any costs that will be attributed to it will also be made public when we roll that pilot out.