Saturday, 6 May 2023
The Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism, the Hon Kevin Hogan MP has called out the Prime Minister Albanese for misleading on the start date of the Australia – United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA) working holiday maker visa arrangements.
“The Prime Minister has form when it comes to not being across the detail of policy commitments, he claims credit for. This not a benign action that can be overlooked,” Kevin Hogan said.
“In his London doorstop on Friday, the Prime Minister referred to the start date of Australia’s FTA with the UK of 31 May 2023 as including the new working holiday maker visa arrangements.
“These separate visa arrangements for young Australians and Brits will not take effect on 31 May 2023 as suggested by the Prime Minister.
“This timeframe is stated in the official text of the A-UKFTA agreement (see Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement – Side Letter – Mutual Understandings on Mobility (dfat.gov.au) and the parallel Side Letter from the UK to Australia).
“Further, quoting directly from information on the Department of Home Affairs website, new arrangements for Working Holiday Makers are expected to be implemented within two years of the FTA coming into force (see Working holiday Maker program – latest news (homeaffairs.gov.au)).
“It is unfair of the Prime Minister to get the hopes up of so many young Australians and Brits keen to access the revised working holiday visa arrangements negotiated by the Coalition when we were in government.
“It will also place undue pressure on small and regional businesses in agriculture, tourism and hospitality sectors having to explain that the changes are not yet in effect, disappointing the hopes of many.
“From unemployment rates to NDIS the Prime Minister has consistently proved he is not across policy detail.
“It is one thing to get policy details wrong in a media conference, completely another when he is making decisions to run the country.”
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