Media Release

KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has lashed out against the Federal Government’s announcement to reduce skilled foreign workers salaries up to 10% below Australian wages, calling it a “slap in the face” for hard working Australians that are desperately seeking work.

Currently, Australia’s unemployment rate is 6.6%[1] and additionally our labour underutilisation figures are currently at 13.5%.

“We have been consistently opposed to the carte blanche importation of foreign fly-in-fly-out workers at the expense of jobs for hard working Australians.

“The previous Federal Labor Government brought in over 130,000 section 457 visa workers – so that’s 130,000 jobs that were then unavailable for Australians.

“There is no doubt that the Federal Liberal Government will kick that up to 250,000 – it was near enough to a promise in the last election, which means they are promising to take 250,000 jobs off Australians and give them to foreigners.

“Since 1996 we have seen almost one million jobs handed on a silver platter to foreign workers which should have gone to Australians,” said Mr Katter.

Mr Katter is vehemently opposed to the Federal Government’s announcement that the reduction in foreign workers wages will be applied immediately to Darwin and then offered to other regions; allowing employers to set lower pay rates and easier language tests for foreign workers.

“What we are witnessing here is a complete collapse and destruction of rural Australia; with people leaving our communities in droves due to lack of employment.

“In the last week alone we have had qualified carpenters and childcare centre workers contacting our Innisfail office actively seeking work.

“Two local qualified volunteers also approached me at a rural Show who have been desperately seeking work for over three months.

“Our economy relies on an affluent workforce that is willing to spend; undermining our pay and conditions is short sighted and threatens the business sector just as much as the workforce.

“The spending dollar will simply not be there,” said Mr Katter.

Mr Katter warned that we should not be criticising individual businesses for resorting to employing 457 visa workers – as the Federal Liberal Governments policy has made it cheaper and easier to employ foreigners over Australians.

Katter’s Australian Party has been consistently opposed to the Federal Government’s 457 visa program, which has seen the carte blanch importation of foreign fly-in workers and the undermining of our Australian wages and conditions.

[1] ABS Publication, Labour Force, Australia, July 2014 Cat. No. 6202.0, Table 2