Well i won't be shopping at Harvey Norman again

[Proud Pies]

http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,23636,22619233-462,00.html


Billionaire plea for cheap labour

October 21, 2007 12:00am
Article from: The Sunday Telegraph


BILLIONAIRE retailer Gerry Harvey says Australia needs a two-tier wage system to allow employers to pay foreign guest workers less than locals.

The Harvey Norman boss said Australia's prosperity was creating a labour shortage and endangering the nation's competitiveness.

He said a growing number of Australian manufacturers were moving overseas, where cheap labour was plentiful.

He called on the Federal Government to allow foreign workers on fixed visas to form a second tier to the labour market.

"Australia doesn't have cheap labour. Many overseas workers would be prepared to move here for a much better life and half the money Australians earn," he said.

"When you get unemployment down to four per cent, to three per cent, to two per cent, business can't get the labour.

"I've got horse studs and it's difficult to get staff.

"Workers would rather work in the mines where they get paid twice as much.

"Fruit- picking companies are relying on backpackers."

Mr Harvey said both major parties needed to open the gates to migrants.

"The US can draw on a lot of cheap labour from Mexico and South America," he said.

"People from those countries move to the US looking for a better life.

"European countries can draw on cheap labour from eastern Europe.

"The danger of being too prosperous is that it can come back to bite you - you can become too lazy and other nations work harder and overtake you."

"What I'm saying is not politically correct.

"You won't get politicians saying what I'm saying, but privately they know this sort of thing is a reality in the future."

[The Prototype]

He needs him some Mexican borderjumpers like all the places ion the States have...they work for well...peanuts.

[Alec. J. Hidell]

But you know being a Billionaire is never really enough

[member34258]

And if Howard is returned this is the future.
For all the talk of "ALP are the Union puppets", there is little talk of the fact that the Liberals are the puppets of people like Harvey.

[The Prototype]

[Pa Marmo]

[noddy,]

[Culprit]

The 457 Visa was set up for cheap labour. We already have it. All you have to say is you cannot find a person to fill teh job vacancy, employ an Indian on a 457 visa who will work for a bowl of curry and whammo, cheap labour.

[Proud Pies]

looks around her office at all the 457 visa employees........

[sherrife]

Would be a disasterous idea.

What a @#$ing capitalist prick.

[Alec. J. Hidell]

Steady on Sherrife, that attitude and language, if it is real, will do no one any good.
We need to debate and listen

[sherrife]

Touche, except that i'm not abusing someone who is amenable to debate and rational argument.

Touche nevertheless

[Alec. J. Hidell]

[Dale61]

I read some time back that the building industry in Darwin is up in arms over this 457 visa caper.

Most of the workers on building sites up there were there only on 457 visas, and the locals were arcing up about it.

Not so much about the fact the ring-in's were working at cheaper rates, but moreso the fact that the ring-in's just couldn't comprehend Australian work sites practices, as well as the dodgy work being carried out.

If Gerry Hardly-Normal wants to fill his stores with 457 visa employees, so be it, as long as he reduces his prices to match.

[MultipleChoice]

Thank God for capitalism as otherwise we would be pushing up the daisies or living in a gulag.