THE Federal Labor Opposition has established an inquiry into temporary migration to investigate its impact on Australia’s economy, wages and jobs, social cohesion and workplace rights and conditions.
Deputy Labor Senate leader Kristina Keneally and Deputy Opposition Whip Senator Raff Ciccone this week said serious concerns had been raised by workers, farmers, academics, unions, community groups and agriculture stakeholders that the current temporary visa regime was not working as intended.
They said the system was subject to misuse and overuse of temporary visas was impacting on jobs and wages for Australian workers – including young and low-skilled workers.
Senator Keneally last month said she had “significant concerns” the Federal Government was relying on visas to ensure fruit across Australia was being picked and farms tended to.
She said changes to Australia’s visa system would open visitors to exploitation in the horticultural sector.
The senator said people arriving on visas were at risk of serious exploitation in the labour market in Australia and described the current system as “unmanaged temporary migration for employment”.
Senators Keneally and Ciccone said given those concerns, Labor this week established a Select Committee on Temporary Migration.
They said due to their temporary status and threats of deportation, migrant workers were more often subject to exploitation, wage theft and even physical and sexual abuse.
The Select Committee on Temporary Migration is expected to hold public hearings in coming months and is scheduled to deliver its report by December 2020.
