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Julian Hill MPFederal Member for Bruce

Julian Hill MP


Instead of prioritising Australian workers, the government members of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration have put Australians at the back of the jobs queue.

Download the Interim Report

Threat to Australian jobs

Interim Report of the Inquiry into Australia's Skilled Migration Program

Shocking new proposals by a Liberal government-controlled Committee will undermine the ability of Australians to get jobs.

These proposals are ill-conceived and appallingly timed, coming at the very same time the government is trying to pass new laws to make it easier for employers to cut workers' wages.



Labor strenuously objects to this report's recommendations and findings.

As the hangover from the deepest recession for many decades continues, across our nation:

  • Over 1.3 million Australians are surviving on unemployment benefits,
  • Two million Australians are searching for work or for more hours, and
  • JobKeeper is about to be scrapped by the Morrison Government pushing thousands more people onto unemployment queues.
Hospitality worker making coffee

Astoundingly, while millions of Australians are searching for work, the priority for government members is to put Australians at the back of the queue.

Labor members oppose the government's desire to:

  • Streamline (i.e. trash) Labour Market Testing, as doing so would reduce incentives for businesses to employ Australian workers
  • Scrap the requirement for employers to pay into the Skilling Australia Fund to train local workers when bringing in foreign labour, removing the price signal for business to train an Australian and make is virtually cost free to bring in foreign workers
  • Immediately expand the number of occupations on the skills shortage lists to include chefs, veterinarians, cafĂ© and restaurant managers and seafarers and prioritise other occupations such as cooks, carpenters, electricians, hospitality, trades and manufacturing workers
  • Reserve special seats on flights and places in quarantine for skilled migrants, abandoning over 40,000 stranded Australians

You couldn't make this stuff up. It would make sense if the report was released on April Fools' Day, but it's not.

Government MPs seriously think this is good policy. Shame on them for selling out Australian workers and those looking for a job.

Labor will fight these proposals.

Read Julian's speech

Download the Interim Report

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