Thread: GO AUSSIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go AUSSIES! My husband told me they don't put up with any crap in Australia! GOOD ON YA!!!!


Labor out to scrap training visa scheme
The Age (Melbourne), February 27, 2006
http://theage.com.au/news/NATIONAL/Labo ... 52351.html

Labor will move to abolish a visa scheme which allows employers to bring in unskilled apprentices from overseas, claiming it deprives young Australians of training places.

The federal government has introduced the scheme - which is similar to the system under which foreign students pay full fees to universities - to try to boost regional training programs and provide more workers for trade occupations experiencing shortages.

But opposition immigration spokesman Tony Burke, who will on Monday move in parliament to scrap the scheme, said it was flawed.

'Federal Labor believes this visa does nothing but short-change young Australians by creating fewer TAFE places and driving wages down,' Mr Burke said.

'As every imported apprentice takes up a TAFE place, it is one less training opportunity available to young Australians.'

He said apprentices who knocked back low-wage Australian Workplace Agreements would miss out on a job.

'The end result is that wages will be driven down,' he said.

The government's claim that the visa required a potential employer to show there were no local people prepared to take the job was a facade, he said.

'Nowhere amongst the 50 questions on the employers application form does it require them to have even advertised the job,' Mr Burke said.

Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone said there would be no reduction in funding for training and it was wrong to suggest wages would be lower.

'The pool of training funds for Australians, whether TAFE funds or employer subsidy, remains the same and is available for Australians as intended,' Senator Vanstone said.

'Claims that overseas apprentices will be allowed to work for lower wages than Australian counterparts are not only wrong, they also carry a distinct overtone of xenophobia.'

She said overseas apprentices would fully fund the cost of their training, including the employer subsidy.

And trainers had to certify there were no Australian applicants to take a position in that location.

The minister said the idea had been put to her by a group known as Golden West Group Training, who were concerned that they would have to abandon some courses because of a shortage of applicants.

But Mr Burke said there was no justification for the new scheme.

'It is a shame that the minister can listen to one company yet continue to ignore 300,000 young Australians who have been turned away from TAFE since 1998,' he said.


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17.
Union anger over foreign workers
News.com.au, February 24, 2006
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18 ... l?from=rss

Unions have expressed anger at moves by a South Australian abattoir to employ 200 foreign workers on special visas, in an area of high unemployment.

The ACTU has questioned whether efforts were made to find local workers to fill the positions, and the pay and conditions of the Chinese workers.

ACTU president Sharan Burrow said Murray Bridge, east of Adelaide, was an area of higher than average unemployment and it beggared believe that the company involved had been unable to find enough local people to fill job vacancies.

'Almost every day we are seeing more and more evidence that the Federal Government's temporary overseas work program is out of control,' Ms Burrow said.

'Australians are being denied job opportunities and overseas workers are being exposed to exploitation.'

Ms Burrow said unions were concerned that the Chinese workers involved were working excessively long hours for less pay than local workers.

'Every effort should be exhausted before overseas workers are brought in and beyond that, whoever does the work should be paid Australian wages and employment conditions,' she said.

Ohflyingone; Yes, the situation is the same in the rest of the empire. I have told you of the requirements to live and work in Canada. I'll see if I can dig it up in my old posts.

The short version is that, there are not illegal alien hordes in canada, and their people come first. What a concept! g

'Almost every day we are seeing more and more evidence that the Federal Government's temporary overseas work program is out of control,' Ms Burrow said.

'Australians are being denied job opportunities and overseas workers are being exposed to exploitation.'

Ms Burrow said unions were concerned that the Chinese workers involved were working excessively long hours for less pay than local workers.

Sounds familiar.....

'Claims that overseas apprentices will be allowed to work for lower wages than Australian counterparts are not only wrong, they also carry a distinct overtone of xenophobia.'

So does this!

Which reminds me...Friends of mine visited Australia last year and they said that travel restrictions and their immigrations policies have gotten so strict recently. They make sure that you just visit and are sure to leave.

this is a pretty detailed report on the aussie ins http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/aus.traffic/

Great articles, they sure don't mess around they put them in detention camps.

Reputation besmirched
Since mid-August Australia has adopted a controversial zero-tolerance policy on asylum seekers, refusing to let any of the boatloads of people arriving at the nation's remote island outpost territories to set foot in Australia.

Instead it has brokered deals with Pacific Island nations such as Nauru and Papua New Guinea to build and maintain detention centers there.

While politically popular within Australia, the hardline stance on refugees has won the country few friends internationally.

"Australia's reputation for fairness and accountability has been besmirched over the last two or three years," Harding said.

"It will never be rectified until the main policies on refugees are sorted out."

They sure have my respect.

Most of these articles are from 2001, I don't think they have backed down from what I have heard.

They have my respect also. I think taking care of Aussies first is a commendable position. Wish our legislators had a touch of that common sense.

I lived in Australia for 22 months...it took four months to get our visas to go even tho we were sponsored by a company. Pretty thorough investigation...nor do I blame them...a beautiful country...

RR