Australia foreign minister not worried by unskilled migrant opposition
Updated
Australia's foreign minister, Stephen Smith, says he's not worried about claims the opposition will oppose a proposed unskilled migrant workers scheme, expected to be unveiled by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd within a fortnight.
Our Pacific correspondent, Campbell Cooney, reports if adopted the trial unskilled migrant worker scheme, will allow Pacific Islanders to meet some of the seasonal employment needs of Australia's farmers.
But Australia's opposition Foreign Affairs spokesman Andrew Robb says, there hasn't been enough debate.
"There are a whole lot of important issues which will dictate our attitude," he said
Australia's Foreign Affairs' minister Stephen Smith has dismissed the opposition response, saying its opinion is immaterial.
"I'm not sure the Liberal Party knows what it stands for, or what it wants to stand for," he said.
"Alexander Downer saying it's a good idea, and he tried to press it on the Liberal Party when they were last in government. Andrew Robb saying he hasn't had enough time to think about it. We'll make our own judgement, and the community will make theirs."
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's expected to announce his government will adopt the pilot scheme when he attends the Pacific Forum Leaders Meeting in Niue later this month.
