Today Scott Morrison's plan to privatise the Australian visa system has hit a major roadblock and could be blocked by the Senate.
Freedom of information documents have today revealed internal advice from the Department of Home Affairs that if the government is to sell off our visa system, it may have to pass legislation.
Over 2,000 jobs are on the chopping block under the government's plan to privatise and sell off Australia's visa system, and increased funding in MYEFO shows that the government is pushing ahead no matter the consequences.
The Morrison Government is continuing to ignore international warnings from those that have gone down this path. Visas are already expensive in Australia, and costs have risen rapidly in the UK in just a few years since visa processing was privatised there.
Community and Public Sector Union National Secretary, Melissa Donnelly today said, "The CPSU is today calling on the Senate to pass legislation to protect Australia's visa system and put this issue to bed, finally. If this government was serious about national security this wouldn't even be an option."
"CPSU members and delegates have been campaigning hard against this privatisation for over 18 months, including holding over 60 lobbying meetings with their MPs and Senators and giving evidence at a Senate Inquiry showing exactly how damaging it would be to turn our visa system over to corporate interests.
"The Prime Minister's obsession with short term budget gain will end in long term pain for the Australian community under this plan. The latest figures in MYEFO shows that nothing is safe from privatisation under the Morrison Government."
"If the government is to sell off our visa system, it will have to pass legislation, and in recent times Senators have shown that they are not just going to sign off on whatever the Minister wants. But what we also know is that Scott Morrison is willing to wheel and deal to get his way with the cross bench."
"The cross bench should be concerned about the Government's privatisation plans - and we'll be making sure they know about the very real risks privatisation would visit on our immigration system."
