Greg Johnston

TOURISTS ARE NOT MIGRANTS Anthony Albanese has yet again shown why he is unfit to be Prime Minister. In order to reduce immigration he is going after working holiday visas holders. While these young people do work, they are actually tourists not immigrants. Yes they do work but in jobs that help sustain two of our vital industries - Agriculture and Tourism. While I would accept employment being restricted to rural areas there is no need to reduce tourists to Australia. Australia also benefits from reciprocal agreements with other countries regarding backpacking. As a former backpacker myself I can attest to the experience and personal development backpacking offers. People First won’t cut back on working holiday visas. Instead we will cut back on student, bridging and the Indian Migration and Mobility agreement. If you want to support our tourist and agricultural sector then please sign up to Peoplefirstparty.au today ••••••••••••• “The Albanese government's planned cuts to backpacker visas risks damaging Australia's "hard built" reputation as one of the world's great destinations for working holidaymakers, the chief executive of the nation's peak tourism and transport body says. Tourism and Transport Forum chief executive Margy Osmond said the federal government's proposed cuts, which would cap second-year backpacker visas at 45,000 and slash the number of third-year places from 31,000 to just 5000, risked tarnishing Australia's appeal as a destination for working holidaymakers. Struggling tourism organisations have warned the government's proposed cuts will starve them of workers and rip millions of dollars from regional economies. The changes also have prompted fierce criticism from West Australian Premier Roger Cook, who in a letter to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the new rules would hurt his state's regional tourism and hospitality sector.”