457 visas: Labor’s fry-in fry-out staff
BILL Shorten’s war on foreign workers has been undermined by revelations Labor used visas meant for skilled migrants to import fast food staff while in power.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE former Labor government oversaw an explosion in foreign worker 457 visa sponsors including an unprecedented industry agreement to hire foreign hamburger flippers for KFC, McDonald’s and Hungry Jack’s.
The flood of foreign visas during Opposition leader Bill Shorten’s time as workplace minister in the Gillard government also extended the program to 650 so-called professions including union officials and goat herders.
The revelations will come as an embarrassment for an Opposition leader who has sought to whip up a foreign worker backlash in the wake of the Trump victory in the US by claiming he wanted to crack down on 457s.
In one of the little-known labour agreements approved by Labor in 2012, McDonald’s was given sponsor rights to bring in 285 foreign workers. Hungry Jack’s hired at least 74 people on 457s, KFC brought in 88 foreign workers, while other lesser-known fast food outlets hired 32.
EXPLAINED: What is a 457 visa?
The Opposition leader’s claims that the high number of 457 visas during Labor’s time in office was due to the mining boom, have been undermined by figures showing that many of the McDonald’s jobs filled by foreign workers were in Sydney and even Canberra, which had one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the country.
Figures from between 2010 and 2013 reveal that a third of the overall number of 457 visas across all categories granted were for jobs in Sydney rather than mining areas.
The argument for foreign workers employed in fast food was that there was a shortage of Australian workers who could ensure “customers receive prompt service” or respond to “customer inquiries”.
He said that if the government was serious about protecting Australian jobs it would support his bill, despite the Coalition government having already cut the number of visas and passing tough new regulations for prioritising local jobs.
Samantha Maiden: Visa posturing gives no credit to Shorten
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said that Mr Shorten had allowed the visa program to spin out of control and questioned why Labor couldn’t prioritise Australian jobs at a time when he was putting foreign workers into fast food outlets.
Between 2012 and 2013, 4600 cooks and bakers were granted 457 visas as well as 600 “creative designers”.
The Consolidated Sponsored Occupations List under Labor blew out to more than 650, with 110,000 foreign workers visas granted.
It included jobs such as goat and deer farming, grass growing, railway station manager, camping ground operator, electorate officers for MPs, potters and sculptors.
Minns mulls stronger police power to reject protests as costs soar
The Premier said a review would take place into protests and the allocation of police resources, saying cops should have powers to reject a protest, citing a $5m financial burden. Have your say in our poll.
Sydney serial protest princess ‘fired for activism’
A serial protester who wears Disney princess dresses at pro-Palestinian rallies to make children feel more comfortable taking part says she’s been sacked from her job.