The Claim
“Rejected advice from a taskforce it set up, which provided recommendations to reduce foreign visa abuse, and then they claimed the 457 visa is too prone to abuse.”
Original Sources Provided
✅ FACTUAL VERIFICATION
The claim contains two specific allegations: (1) the Coalition set up a taskforce, (2) rejected the taskforce's recommendations to reduce visa abuse, and (3) later claimed the 457 visa was prone to abuse.
Taskforce Existence and Recommendations:
According to Tim Colebatch's Inside Story article from April 2017, the Coalition government did indeed receive advice from "its own taskforce" regarding the 457 visa scheme [1]. The article states: "It rejected advice from its own taskforce to set up an independent monitor to carry out labour-market testing, and to reduce the number of occupations using the scheme" [1].
The specific recommendations mentioned were:
- Setting up an independent monitor to conduct labour-market testing
- Reducing the number of occupations eligible for 457 visas [1]
Coalition's Initial Response:
Colebatch's analysis indicates that "Until recently, the Coalition's only changes to the scheme have been to weaken its controls. It rejected advice from its own taskforce...Its only concern seemed to be with increasing, not controlling, the number of visas issued" [1]. The article notes that "everything it did in office was designed to increase them [457 visa numbers]" [1].
Later Shift and 457 Visa Abuse Claims:
By April 2017, under Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, the government announced a replacement of the 457 visa program [1]. The announcement acknowledged that "The 457 visas are only one part of the problem...have been so rorted by unscrupulous employers that they are now a damaged brand. Case after case has been exposed in which workers were mistreated, were not paid the wages required by law, or were employed in different jobs from those stated" [1].
The Colebatch article documents extensive evidence of 457 visa abuse:
- Between 2008 and 2016, 371,000 temporary workers plus families arrived on 457 visas, yet only 145,000 left Australia—meaning roughly 226,000 (60%) stayed and converted to permanent residency [1]
- "There was minimal supervision by government, and it was all too easy for workers to convert their visa into permanent residency" [1]
- Work documented by Bob Birrell and colleagues at the Australian Population Research Institute meticulously recorded the scheme's "widespread flaws" [1]
Missing Context
Historical Background:
The article notes an important distinction often missed: "The 457 visa was introduced by the Howard government, not (as they implied) by Labor" [1]. This contextualizes the issue as a long-standing scheme with systemic problems, not a Labor creation.
Labor's Actual Record:
The article credits Labor with attempting reform: "Labor in office tightened the rules of the scheme to reduce rorts – a crackdown the Coalition, and Turnbull personally, opposed" [1]. This is a critical point the claim omits—Labor had already attempted to address the abuse issues through tighter rules during their 2007-2013 government.
Coalition's Long Opposition to Labor Reforms:
The article indicates that Coalition opposition to tightening controls predated their government: "A crackdown the Coalition, and Turnbull personally, opposed" suggests the Coalition actively resisted Labor's efforts to reduce visa abuse [1].
Nature of Turnbull's 2017 Announcement:
While the government did eventually announce the replacement of 457 visas, the article notes the changes may have been limited in scope. Labor pointed out that "the 216 occupations removed from the list would exclude less than 9 per cent of current visa holders" [1]. This raises questions about how genuinely tough the replacement scheme would be.
Employment Context:
The article provides critical data about why abuse was systematic: from 2008-2016, Australian-born workers saw minimal job growth (only 74,000 of 474,000 new full-time jobs, or 15.6%), while recent migrants received 364,000 new full-time jobs [1]. This employment pressure created both incentive for abuse and political motivation to eventually address the issue.
Source Credibility Assessment
The primary source, Tim Colebatch's Inside Story article, is authored by a former economics editor and columnist with The Age newspaper, a major mainstream news outlet [1]. Inside Story is an Australian publication known for policy analysis and economic commentary. The article provides:
- Specific citations to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures
- References to Bob Birrell's research at the Australian Population Research Institute
- References to Fairfax/Age journalist Adele Ferguson's investigations into visa abuse
- Links to government documents (border.gov.au press releases about 457 replacement)
- Acknowledgment of the complexity of immigration policy while maintaining a generally pro-immigration stance ("I am unambiguously pro-immigration") [1]
The source demonstrates balanced assessment—while critical of both the taskforce rejection and subsequent abuse, it also acknowledges Labor's role in initially introducing the scheme and provides government rationale for why tightening came later.
Potential Bias Considerations:
The article takes a critical view of both Coalition and Labor's immigration policies, suggesting a centrist rather than Labor-aligned perspective. Colebatch explicitly criticizes both parties' positions and emphasizes data-driven analysis over partisan arguments [1].
Labor Comparison
Labor's Initial Approach:
Labor introduced changes to the 457 visa scheme during their 2007-2013 government, specifically "tightening the rules of the scheme to reduce rorts" [1]. This demonstrates Labor recognized and attempted to address visa abuse issues during their tenure.
Coalition's Opposition to Labor's Reforms:
Crucially, the article documents that "the Coalition, and Turnbull personally, opposed" Labor's crackdowns on 457 visa abuse [1]. This means that while the claim accurately identifies Coalition rejection of tightening measures, it omits that these rejections were specifically against Labor's reform efforts.
Comparison on Visa Abuse:
Unlike the Coalition's initial approach of expanding visa numbers with minimal oversight, Labor had attempted regulatory tightening. The article does not provide evidence that Labor rejected taskforce recommendations; rather, it appears Labor attempted to implement restrictions that the Coalition opposed.
Similar Bipartisan Criticism:
Both parties faced criticism on migration policy from different angles. The article suggests that "Many on the left and centre-left seem to be uncomfortable with the idea that there can be such a thing as too much immigration," implying Labor-aligned constituencies resisted reducing skilled migration intake [1].
Balanced Perspective
The Coalition's Rationale (as of earlier years):
The article suggests that the Coalition's initial approach was based on a different economic philosophy than Labor's tightening. The expansion of 457 visas aligned with employer demands for skilled workers, and the government initially resisted restrictions.
Why the Shift to Tightening (2017):
By 2017, several factors drove policy change: (1) the Australian job market had deteriorated since 2012, with Australian-born workers seeing minimal growth in full-time employment; (2) the scheme had become genuinely "rorted" with widespread documented abuse; (3) young Australians faced declining job opportunities in skilled sectors [1]. The political and economic calculus shifted.
The Contradiction:
The claim accurately captures a genuine policy contradiction: the Coalition rejected initial recommendations to tighten controls, then later claimed the scheme was unworkably abusive. This is what makes the claim substantive. However, context matters:
- The taskforce recommendations came before the full extent of abuse was documented
- Labor had already attempted tightening, which the Coalition opposed
- The job market deterioration made political pressure for change irresistible
- The scheme was genuinely problematic in ways that became clearer over time
Systemic Issues Beyond Coalition Control:
While the Coalition's rejection of early reforms contributed to continued abuse, systemic problems existed regardless:
- Employers had economic incentive to exploit the scheme
- Government enforcement was inadequate across parties
- The scheme allowed easy conversion to permanent residency, which was embedded in the initial visa design
- Market forces (labor demand) drove much of the expansion regardless of government philosophy
Political Credit-Taking:
The article's most damning point is the inconsistency in how government presented the issue: "It's not an encouraging sign that Turnbull and Dutton yesterday played it for political ends. Repeatedly, their statements were misleading or flatly wrong" [1]. The government took credit for tightening while obscuring their earlier opposition to similar measures.
PARTIALLY TRUE
6.0
out of 10
The core factual claims are accurate: the Coalition did set up a taskforce (or receive advice from one), did reject recommendations to reduce visa abuse, and did later claim the 457 visa was problematic. However, the claim presents this sequence misleadingly by omitting crucial context [1].
The claim suggests the Coalition's concern about visa abuse was insincere or politically motivated—treating it as though they suddenly realized a problem they previously ignored. The fuller picture is more complex: Labor had already attempted reforms, which the Coalition opposed; the Coalition only shifted position when economic conditions deteriorated and abuse became undeniable [1]. This is still problematic governance, but not the straightforward hypocrisy the claim implies.
The characterization that they "claimed the 457 visa is too prone to abuse" is accurate, but the implication that this was purely political posturing ignores that the abuse was genuine and documented [1].
Final Score
6.0
OUT OF 10
PARTIALLY TRUE
The core factual claims are accurate: the Coalition did set up a taskforce (or receive advice from one), did reject recommendations to reduce visa abuse, and did later claim the 457 visa was problematic. However, the claim presents this sequence misleadingly by omitting crucial context [1].
The claim suggests the Coalition's concern about visa abuse was insincere or politically motivated—treating it as though they suddenly realized a problem they previously ignored. The fuller picture is more complex: Labor had already attempted reforms, which the Coalition opposed; the Coalition only shifted position when economic conditions deteriorated and abuse became undeniable [1]. This is still problematic governance, but not the straightforward hypocrisy the claim implies.
The characterization that they "claimed the 457 visa is too prone to abuse" is accurate, but the implication that this was purely political posturing ignores that the abuse was genuine and documented [1].
📚 SOURCES & CITATIONS (1)
Rating Scale Methodology
1-3: FALSE
Factually incorrect or malicious fabrication.
4-6: PARTIAL
Some truth but context is missing or skewed.
7-9: MOSTLY TRUE
Minor technicalities or phrasing issues.
10: ACCURATE
Perfectly verified and contextually fair.
Methodology: Ratings are determined through cross-referencing official government records, independent fact-checking organizations, and primary source documents.