Julia Gillard cites concerns, not evidence, to back crackdown on 457 visas

Does this ring any bells with regards to our comments yesterday?

View the original article here

BEN PACKHAM The Australian  March 05, 2013 9:42AM 

JULIA Gillard says her crackdown on foreign workers is based on anecdotal "community feedback".
The Prime Minister, who has presided over the biggest yearly increase in 457 visa approvals in the past 15 years, blamed the former Howard government for leaving a working visa system “riddled with rorts”. 

She said people were complaining about missing out on jobs to foreign workers but was unable to provide examples of where this had occurred.
“I and members of parliament in the Labor team do hear concerns from people about them being ready to take a job, with the appropriate qualifications, and not getting a go,” Ms Gillard told Sky News. 

“We make policy based on evidence, but community concern is there. People have raised examples and of course, when we get that kind of feedback, we should respond.”
 She said the Coalition wanted 457 workers to be a “mainstay” of Australia's immigration system.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott accused Ms Gillard of stoking fears about foreign workers.
“I tell what we will never do,” he told SBS.
“We won't run around the place demonising foreigners the way the Prime Minister has sought to do over the last 24 hours.” 

Ms Gillard said Mr Abbott's words rang hollow. 

“This is the man, who in the run-up to 2010 campaign and almost every day since has been out in the community ... trying to raise fear,” she told Sky News, citing Mr Abbott's use of terms such as “peaceful invasion” to describe a surge in arrivals of asylum seekers by boats.
Immigration Department figures reveal the number of 457 visas approved in the 2011-12 financial year was 125,070, a 52.3 per cent increase on the previous year, with employer groups saying the growing number highlighted the genuine demand for skilled labour.
Business groups have warned against any further tightening of 457 visa rules.
“Any over-tightening of the system would carry real economic risks,” the Australian Industry Group's Innes Willox said yesterday. 

The Migration Institute says politicians should focus on the facts around the program and not engage in a slanging match ahead of the September 14 federal election.
“I just think we need a steady mind and calm conversation going on around it, and not pitting Australian workers against some of these overseas people,” chief executive Maurene Horder said.
“That's the thing I'm a little bit alarmed about - that we don't develop a political bunfight for the purposes of an election."