BREAKING: Government To Abolish 457 Visas and Reactions
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has just announced his government will abolish the controversial 457 visa program which allows for business to hire foreign workers for positions that supposedly are not able to be filled by Australians. They will be replaced by two new temporary skills visas, a two-year visa and a more specialized one for four years “targeted at higher skills”. However the new two year visa visa will significantly reduce the occupations currently eligible to hire foreign workers, this follows Peter Dutton’s announcement earlier this year that fast food restaurants would no longer be allowed to use 457 visas.
Those currently here on 457 visas will have them grandfathered meaning they will not be affected by the changes. Malcolm Turnbull first announced the change via a video on his Facebook page today followed by a press conference this afternoon.
Pauline Hanson for whom keeping jobs in Australia is a cornerstone of One Nation’s platform welcomed the announced and said the government’s decision was down to her putting pressure on the government to adopt stronger border control and better look out for Australia’s interest.
The Government will deny their tough talk on immigration & plan to ban 457 visas is because of One Nation but we all know the truth! #auspol
— Pauline Hanson (@PaulineHansonOz) 18 April 2017
It is interesting the reactions of the left to this announcement who they themselves influence by the union movement have been against 457 visas. Because a conservative government have abolished them it is now an act of racism and xenophobia. Sarah Hanson Young believes the decision is racist dog-whistle.
Turnbull abolishing 457 visas? Hardly, more like a name change, and re-tune for the racist dog whistle.
— Sarah Hanson-Young (@sarahinthesen8) 18 April 2017
Bill Shorten who only months ago outlined his Australia First platform only tweeted that Malcolm Turnbull was acting to save his job and did not welcome the decision at all.
Make no mistake, the only job Malcolm Turnbull cares about saving is his own.
— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) 18 April 2017
The silence from the union movement so far in congratulating the Prime Minister on this decision they have long campaigned for was incredible and was picked up by BuzzFeed reporter (no friend of the right) Mark Di Stefano
I tell you what, the usually noisy social media accounts from the unions not tweeting on 457s so far is a little deafening.
— Mark Di Stefano ?? (@MarkDiStef) 18 April 2017
This is yet again another example of the childishness of the left who automatically have to be against whatever the right does, even if its a policy they used to act. While strengthening control over our immigration program is important, the government still will not address that it is Islamic immigration and our refugee program is what we are really concerned about.