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Labor Moves a Step Further on Cheap Labour

Wednesday, 7th June, 2006

Kim Beazley yesterday moved a little further down the path of opposing short term visas for imported workers.

He was asked at a press conference in Perth if he was concerned about the employment practices of the WA builder who's bringing in about 100 overseas guest workers "Well, does a fish swim?" Beazley responded.

"I mean the fact of the matter is that John Howard is permitting a race to the bottom. John Howard is permitting the utilisation of guest workers, with no permanent long term commitment to this country, to undermine, undermine, wages and conditions in this country.

"Now there are plenty of people on the east coast of Australia who'd love an opportunity to work in the Western Australian building industry, if there's a genuine shortage here.

"What this is about is, is not about a shortage of labour in Western Australia . It's about undermining the pay and conditions of workers in Western Australia . That's what it's about. And basically it's got to come to an end. It's got to come to an end."

The comments did not get much of a run in newspapers with political news largely devoted to uranium and state budgets but they showed the Opposition Leader is getting slicker at simplifying his message. "A race to the bottom" is an expression we will hear more of.

You will find a recent report on this subject (a subject I think will be a key issue in the next election campaign) at Back to Labor's Heartland.