The Wire

Federal labor is beginning to float some fairly radical ideas for connecting Australia into the global labor market . Under the controversial 457 visa scheme, now under review, many employers imported Chinese or Filipino workers The scheme now being looked at is a bit closer to home –workers from neighbouring Pacific countries would come here to fill seasonal jobs like fruit picking These are countries with economic problems ……so its an idea as much about aid as it is about labour – which is why Parliamentary Secretary for International Development assistance Senator Bob McMullen was talking about it at a business lunch in Adelaide today. The Pacific Labor solution is bound to be well discussed before it ever becomes reality – labor analysts like The University of Sydney’s Gillian Considine warn that it isn’t as easy and neat as it sounds.