Peter Dutton blames Malcolm Fraser for immigration mistake as Christopher Pyne defends changes to the 457 visa program

PETER Dutton says Australia is paying for former PM Malcolm Fraser’s refugee legacy. That’s left the other PM Malcolm less than impressed.

Malcolm Turnbull, accompanied by Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Petter Dutton. Picture: Ray Strange.

MALCOLM Turnbull has played down Peter Dutton’s linking of the Fraser government’s immigration policies for current problems with radicalisation and gang violence.

The immigration minister sparked controversy when he said last week many foreign fighters getting involved in conflict zones were the children or grandchildren of migrants who came during the 1970s.

The Prime Minister said he hadn’t seen Mr Dutton’s interview.

“We are the most successful multicultural society in the world,” he told reporters in Lima, after arriving for the APEC leaders summit.

“And that success is founded on mutual respect.”

Mr Dutton made the controversial claim on Sky News.

“The reality is Malcolm Fraser did make mistakes in bringing some people in the 1970s and we’re seeing that today,” he said.

“We need to be honest in having that discussion. There was a mistake made.

“Lessons from past migrant programs should be learnt for people settling in Australia today.”

Malcolm Turnbull has played down Peter Dutton’s controversial comments while in Peru before attending the 2016 APEC summit. Picture: Kym Smith.

Mr Dutton was being asked about the recent gang activity in Victoria involving youths of African — in particular, Sudanese — background.

He attributed much of the blame to the state government, whom he labelled “weak” on law and order.

But he said his department was working with Victoria Police to try to identify people of poor character and cancel visas where necessary.

“If it can be demonstrated that we have a significant proportion of a particular community — we’re talking about the Sudanese community in this instance — then we need to work out what’s gone wrong,” he said.

“We do review the program each year, and if we feel there are problems with particular cohorts, particular nationalities, particular people who might not be integrating well and not contributing well, then there are many other worthy recipients who seek to come to a country like ours and make an opportunity their own.”

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has attribute current issues with immigrants to the late Malcolm Fraser.

PYNE: ‘WE WANT AUSSIE WORKERS IN JOBS’

Christopher Pyne has defended the Turnbull government’s crackdown on 457 visas, allowing skilled foreign workers to remain in Australia after their employment ends.

Anyone on a 457 visa will be allowed to stay and look for work for 60 days instead of 90 when the new change kicks in today.

Mr Pyne told the Nine Network’s Today Show that was a part of a range of measures being introduced to tighten up the 457 visa class.

“We want to put Australian workers first and there are also jobs where there aren’t enough Australian workers ... where we need to bring in foreign workers on short-term visas,” he said.

“But we have got to make sure it’s tightened up because when Bill Shorten was the minister for employment it spiked by 60,000 in one year.”

While Mr Pyne said Labor had increased the period visa holders could look for more work from 28 days to 90 days when it was in office, Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese accused him of playing politics.

Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne has defended the government’s changes to the 457 visa program.

He said the spike in 457 visas issued was in conjunction with the mining boom.

“For those reasons foreign workers can be necessary, but we need to ensure that if Australians are available then they get the first opportunity to fill those jobs and we also need to train young Australians,” Mr Albanese said.

Industry Minister Greg Hunt said the visas Mr Shorten issued had primarily gone to blue-collar areas where Australian jobs were being taken but that in some other sectors, such as IT, genuine shortages needed to be filled.

“I’ve met with business leaders, managers this week and they’ve said where there are gaps in Australia, where we can bring people in, they not only provide employment which allows us to run our businesses here, but they train Australian workers and help them to be part of a globally competitive local business, so of course there’s a place for the international flow of workers,” he said.