NEWS Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch has branded Labor's language on foreign workers as "pretty disgraceful and racist".
Speaking in Darwin today, Mr Murdoch expressed strong support for the role migration could take to meet labour requirements in developing Australia's north.
“I think the way they are talking about (457 visas) is pretty disgraceful and racist,” the media mogul told Sky News.
“But I'm a big one for encouraging immigration. Just look at America, it's just fantastic. You know, you have difficulties (with the) first generation of migrants, if there's too many people from one area. But you know, they meld in a couple of generations. It leads to tremendous creativity in the community.”
Labor has been ramping up a pre-election campaign against overseas workers, suggesting the 457 visa system has been widely rorted, allowing foreigners to take Australian jobs.
Mr Murdoch said he was excited by the prospect of developing northern Australia and believed private enterprise should play the lead role in boosting Top End investment.
He said the role of government was to provide infrastructure and incentives to encourage investment and labour to relocate to the Northern Territory.
“Right now there is no unemployment in Darwin, and how do we get people to work and come up here?
“We've got to get skilled people up from the south here, and if we still need more people, then we've got to have some migration; that's good.”
News Corporation is the parent company of News Limited, which publishes The Australian.
Julia Gillard has argued her crackdown on foreign workers is about “putting the opportunities of Australian working people first, front and centre”.
However, industry groups have criticised the campaign, saying there is no systematic rorting of the scheme and pointing to skills shortages in key occupational areas.
Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said Ms Gillard's 457 rhetoric was a “naked grab for votes and a naked pledge to the union movement which has taken control of immigration policy”.
The Prime Minister's office is yet to comment.
Speaking in Darwin today, Mr Murdoch expressed strong support for the role migration could take to meet labour requirements in developing Australia's north.
“I think the way they are talking about (457 visas) is pretty disgraceful and racist,” the media mogul told Sky News.
“But I'm a big one for encouraging immigration. Just look at America, it's just fantastic. You know, you have difficulties (with the) first generation of migrants, if there's too many people from one area. But you know, they meld in a couple of generations. It leads to tremendous creativity in the community.”
Labor has been ramping up a pre-election campaign against overseas workers, suggesting the 457 visa system has been widely rorted, allowing foreigners to take Australian jobs.
Mr Murdoch said he was excited by the prospect of developing northern Australia and believed private enterprise should play the lead role in boosting Top End investment.
He said the role of government was to provide infrastructure and incentives to encourage investment and labour to relocate to the Northern Territory.
“Right now there is no unemployment in Darwin, and how do we get people to work and come up here?
“We've got to get skilled people up from the south here, and if we still need more people, then we've got to have some migration; that's good.”
News Corporation is the parent company of News Limited, which publishes The Australian.
Julia Gillard has argued her crackdown on foreign workers is about “putting the opportunities of Australian working people first, front and centre”.
However, industry groups have criticised the campaign, saying there is no systematic rorting of the scheme and pointing to skills shortages in key occupational areas.
Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said Ms Gillard's 457 rhetoric was a “naked grab for votes and a naked pledge to the union movement which has taken control of immigration policy”.
The Prime Minister's office is yet to comment.
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