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Timorese wanted to fill Kimberley jobs

Premier wants East Timorese to fill Kimberley jobs. Picture: Nathan Dyer.

Colin Barnett will ask Prime Minister Tony Abbott for special permission to import East Timorese labour to the Kimberley as part of a Federal push to develop northern Australia.

The Northern Australia White Paper, released today, contained a policy for Queensland and New South Wales to import Pacific Islanders to work in cane and other industries.

Mr Barnett said it had been an unintentional “oversight” to not give WA the same concessions to employ East Timorese, which he said were needed because there weren't enough Australians to work in the North.

“We can employ people from East Timor in agriculture in the Kimberley, tourism, hospitality industry, and who knows – they could become Australian citizens,” Mr Barnett said.

Asked why he singled out East Timor, Mr Barnett said because it was close and because an East Timorese minister recently suggested the move when visiting WA recently.

Pressed on whether it was wise to be importing foreign labour amid rising unemployment, Mr Barnett said there were not enough Australians to do the jobs required in the Kimberley.

“There is a shortage of labour in the Kimberley, driving up costs. We need people to do simple jobs – work on a farm, work on irrigation projects, in the building industry, hospitality, hotels, restaurants – we can’t find Australians at a reasonable cost to do that,” he said.

Mr Barnett said he had already spoken to Trade Minister Andrew Robb about the proposal, who had been receptive, and the Premier would soon write to Mr Abbott.