Prime Minister Andy Burnham has promised to discuss a possible deal on British backpackers during a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) on Tuesday, November 3.
Concerns have been raised about the rapidly rising number of British backpackers arriving in Australia in large numbers and the potential impact on the labour market there. Mr Albanese is seeking to change rules that exempt UK nationals from carrying out regional work as a requirement under their visa conditions, a requirement imposed on backpackers from other countries.
Talks at Chogm
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Mr Burnham was asked whether he would agree to a deal after concerns were raised by his Australian counterpart. He confirmed the pair would be having a conversation about the issue, adding "we'll see".
Last week, Mr Albanese indicated he would use the meeting to push for changes to the UK-Australia free trade deal struck under former prime minister Boris Johnson.
Labour Market Pressures
"Unlike backpackers from other areas of the world, who have to spend time in regional Australia, those UK backpackers are arriving in very large numbers, much greater than they were previously to that arrangement being in place," Mr Albanese told the Australian parliament.
"They are staying at Bondi Beach or Coogee or around particularly the capital cities and working in hospitality there. That's placing enormous pressure because it's distorting the labour market in these areas as well."
Aukus and Other Issues
Ahead of the meeting, Mr Burnham also invited his Australian counterpart to "cut the first steel" on the first Aukus submarine. He said: "We've got the chance, you and I, to cut the first steel on the first Aukus sub sometime next year, and it's in rugby league country, Barrow."
The pair also discussed the recent attack against Australian MP Helen Haines, which Mr Burnham described as "awful". She remains in hospital and has had both her legs amputated after being struck by a car outside her electorate office. Australian police have since charged a man with intentionally causing serious injury.
Speaking about the incident, Mr Burnham said: "It's just this bigger question, isn't it, about violence against women politicians, indeed all politicians."
Mr Albanese said: "I've been speaking with her husband Phil every day, and yeah, she's very resilient, but it's going to be a tough and long road back."
He added that violence against politicians was "one of the reasons why we've done the social media ban". "We've got legislation before our parliament at the moment called Digital Duty of Care, which puts the onus back on the big companies for things that appear on their platforms.
"You know, if it was a newspaper, we take action. But some of these platforms, they think they're sort of above it all, but they need to be held to account. So between that artificial intelligence, of course, is one of the things that we need to continue to work on."
Mr Burnham said: "You've been a real leader in that space, and we're all looking to you. We've got the G20 next year, and AI is going to be at the top of the agenda."
