Yes
desmotronic, the facts are the Federal Labour Government are expanding the 457 Visa system and expediting the issue process, in direct contradiction to their endless and generally uninformed pre election rhetoric.
Perhaps they discovered the largest user of 457 Visas is the State Labour Governments and in particular the NSW, Western Australian and Queensland Health Departments?
And the reference to the $41,850 MSL is very missleading and mischievous by the journalist. There are certain mandatory costs to be added (including in most cases, Private medical insurance), such that at the lower levels, a 457 Visa holder will earn almost 150% of the applicable Award rate of pay.
However, a 457 Visa holder may not earn less than the applicable Award, EBA or AWA which exists in a work place, therefore if overseas pilots are employed on 457 Visa, they must not be paid less than their Australian counterparts.
And on the subject of endless political pre-election rhetoric we all know the Australian Worker Agreement (AWA) legislation, Work Choices, was immediately abolished by the incoming Labour Government!
Or was it? I now have an Individual Transitional Employment Agreement (ITEA) which is compliant with the new legislation - and is simply my old AWA with a new cover sheet!!
What politicians say in Opposition is not necessarily what they will do in Government!
