THEY clean toilets, drive taxis and wait tables - jobs that are so far "beneath" many Australians the federal government is considering importing thousands of migrant workers to fill critically short-staffed local industries.   :-?

A growing underclass is developing in Australia - a country once respected for its work ethic - where entire service professions are being left to foreigners, The Daily Telegraph reported.   :(

Experts say high-paying mining jobs are luring young Australian workers from traditional fields such as retail and hospitality, while others would rather go on the dole than muck in and do certain jobs themselves.

"I hate to say it but there seems to be a sense of entitlement among younger Australians," Tourism Accommodation Australia boss Rodger Powell said.

"They believe jobs in the service industry are too menial or too low paid and they have been brought up to believe they are destined for something better instead of starting from the bottom and working their way up as generations did before them."

The hospitality and tourism industry is so short staffed the government is in discussions to import 36,000 cooks, waiters and bartenders to fill vacancies with another 56,000 needed by 2015, according to federal Immigration Minister Chris Bowen. Under the plan, tourism and hospitality employers would be able to bring in workers on a two to three year visa similar to the 457 visa program widely used in the mining sector.

"Employers would need to show they are doing their best to employ and train domestic workers and paying market rates," Mr Bowen said.   ;)

While hospitality is struggling to fill vacancies, some sectors are being shunned altogether.

"It's rare to have an Australian work as a commercial cleaner," Australian Cleaning Contractor's Alliance director John Laws said.

"It is is not an attractive position - cleaning has traditionally been done by people who have English as a second language."

A spokeswoman for the cleaning union United Voice said cleaners were among the worst-treated workers in the country, with one of the highest turnovers of staff at 40 per cent.   :(

She said competition for contracts was so fierce some companies were bidding at a loss and using illegal practices such as cash-in-hand payments.   >:(

A black market of illegal workers is said to extend across other businesses including restaurants and general labouring.   :(

In the carwashing sector, the majority of workers are from overseas.

Indian accounting student Sanjay Kumar, who works part time at the Baywash Carwash in Summer Hill, said the high cost of living in Australia meant he had to work hard to make ends meet.

"It's expensive here and I need the money so I wash cars to help but I love doing my job. Everyone is nice," he said.

YOUNG and Districts Chamber of Commerce secretary Thomas O'Brien said most fruit pickers were overseas backpackers and, while some locals did it, others were too lazy and had a "welfare state" mentality.

Orchard owner Alan Copeland said growers relied on travellers such as Chung-Jen Wang, 29, of Taiwan, and Yoshimi Ohta, 26, of Japan, "to get the fruit off" or risk financial ruin.

"People say they're taking Australian jobs," he said.

"They're not taking Australian jobs, they're doing jobs Australians won't do."

University of Shizuoka graduate Ms Ohta said she enjoyed fruit picking "more than I was expecting".

"It's an experience and the money is OK," she said.

NSW Taxi Council boss Peter Ramshaw said, while the industry was always looking for drivers, its problem was more of a lack of taxi licences.

And, with Australia's generous welfare system, those who can't land a high-paying job are in some cases better off on the dole.

Analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals the average cab driver takes home $527 a week after tax -- just 40c more than the $526.60 a single parent gets looking for a job.

If the same parent gives up looking and goes on parenting payments they jump to $641.50 a week -- just $7.50 less than a cleaner gets scrubbing floors 38 hours a week but still more than car detailers ($569.80) and dishwashers ($631.54).

Tertiary students, the backbone of retail and hospitality, who are eligible for rent allowance can get up to $522.10 a week, almost as much as waiting tables ($569.80) full-time.

Transport and Tourism Forum chief executive John Lee said it was a global phenomenon, with migrants and working travellers the only people "willing to get their hands dirty".

"Getting Australians to do these jobs - cleaning toilets, portering, any hard work - is impossible," he said.



Comments on this story

    Broke as Posted at 7:13 PM January 28, 2012

        It's because people can't afford to take these jobs, they don't pay enough!!!!!! You can't live on one of those wages.   :(

Government default on debts = depression = no more jobs for anyone.

wrote on Jan 29^th, 2012 at 2:39pm:

It's because people can't afford to take these jobs, they don't pay enough!!!!!! You can't live on one of those wages.   :(

People are taking these jobs though.  People from overseas.

They are living on those wages.

If they can do it, why can't Australians?

Peejay Posted at 7:54 AM January 28, 2012

    Isn't it frightening? Wages of $650 per week and rent costs of $400 per week. Transport costs to work about $100 per week. Power and rates etc another $50 or so. Why would anyone want these jobs? Overseas students receive low cost student accommodation. Other workers from overseas are prepared to have two or more families in one house. That is what Australia is aspiring to.   :(

Comment
Jack Posted at 7:57 AM January 28, 2012

    The solution is simple. Pay more tight asses. poo hours for poo pay. Not me. Driving a taxi $527 after tax. Break it down. $370-$400 rent. $127 left to cover petrol costs, electricity, gas, telephone, and most important. Food. We all need food to survive. Add it up. Yes it DOESN'T add up! That is why Aussies won't do these jobs, NOT because we're lazy. We are just smarter.   >:(

Comment
Sally of Hills Posted at 7:57 AM January 28, 2012

    I disagree jobs that are so far "beneath" many Australians , My daughter has been trying each and every day to find work and has not had any luck thus far,and its downright depressing for her I would hardly say that these jobs are beneath Australians.   :(

Comment
Gindalee Posted at 7:57 AM January 28, 2012

    There is no such thing as a bad job; just bad money. Greedy companies who want to take advantage of desperate people, should be the headline.   >:(

Comment
am of ballajurra Posted at 7:58 AM January 28, 2012

    and where are they going to live.

Uncle Meat wrote on Jan 29^th, 2012 at 2:43pm:

wrote on Jan 29th, 2012 at 2:39pm:   It's because people can't afford to take these jobs, they don't pay enough!!!!!! You can't live on one of those wages.   :( People are taking these jobs though.  People from overseas. They are living on those wages. If they can do it, why can't Australians?

Because many Australians feel 'entitled' and think service industry work is beneath them...

Uncle Meat wrote on Jan 29^th, 2012 at 2:43pm:

wrote on Jan 29th, 2012 at 2:39pm:   It's because people can't afford to take these jobs, they don't pay enough!!!!!! You can't live on one of those wages.   :( People are taking these jobs though.  People from overseas. They are living on those wages. If they can do it, why can't Australians?

Because they cram at least half a dozen of them into a 2br unit, eat very basic cheap stuff and don't go out.

I've worked with poms and Irish who were on $35+ an hour who still lived like that.

Quote:

Analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals the average cab driver takes home $527 a week after tax -- just 40c more than the $526.60 a single parent gets looking for a job. If the same parent gives up looking and goes on parenting payments they jump to $641.50 a week -- just $7.50 less than a cleaner gets scrubbing floors 38 hours a week but still more than car detailers ($569.80) and dishwashers ($631.54).

That's either a lie or a huge mistake. Those figures for unemployed parents would have to be fortnightly, not weekly as the article suggests.

Yes Annie you are right, they would be paid every fortnight.  Also where is the incentive to become a taxi driver?.  I have heard it works out to around $9 a hour. on a good day.      

QUOTE FROM START OF This Topic. THEY clean toilets, drive taxis and wait tables - jobs that are so far "beneath" many Australians the federal government is considering importing thousands of migrant workers to fill critically short-staffed local industries.   :-?

Yes but they are also taking our JOBS.

I did like the coment about another 56000 positions needed to be filled in tourism and hospitality.

Well Here's a Idea give thows JOBS to some of the 900,000 Unemployed Australians, Train them and give them the Job. Then We won't have to import skilled and trained Workers :-[

The majority of the unemployed are not long term unemployed. The majority already have skills and neither require or want retraining.

Out of the rest, many don't live in areas where there are jobs in hospitality, many aren't suitable for jobs in hospitality and then there some who are better off being on the dole than being a nuisance in the workplace.

Annie Anthrax wrote on Jan 29^th, 2012 at 3:17pm:

Quote: Analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals the average cab driver takes home $527 a week after tax -- just 40c more than the $526.60 a single parent gets looking for a job. If the same parent gives up looking and goes on parenting payments they jump to $641.50 a week -- just $7.50 less than a cleaner gets scrubbing floors 38 hours a week but still more than car detailers ($569.80) and dishwashers ($631.54). That's either a lie or a huge mistake. Those figures for unemployed parents would have to be fortnightly, not weekly as the article suggests.

The figures are dodgy as. According to the Centrelink website the amount is fortnightly, so a single parent is only paid $320.75 per week

Taxi drivers are the lowest paid people in Australia. In the slow month of January, a driver might only take home about $300 per week. Imagine working 60 hours for that!

Life_goes_on wrote on Jan 30^th, 2012 at 3:03pm:

The majority of the unemployed are not long term unemployed. The majority already have skills and neither require or want retraining. Out of the rest, many don't live in areas where there are jobs in hospitality, many aren't suitable for jobs in hospitality and then there some who are better off being on the dole than being a nuisance in the workplace.

Well if you think that they are better off being on The Dole, well then why don't you go and  try it and see how you go.

You can't plan anything and you can't archive any thing.

but we are in this situation because their are people out their that just beleive that Unemployed people are just Dole bludgers.
And thats the wrong attitude to have

Of course there are some who are better off on the dole. They simply don't want to work. Make them work and they become nothing but a nuisance.

provide them with responsobility and they will archive
and not be a nuisance

or is it you just think they might take your JOB

I said some... not all... and by "some" I mean like a small minority.

falah wrote on Jan 30^th, 2012 at 3:04pm:

Annie Anthrax wrote on Jan 29th, 2012 at 3:17pm: Quote: Analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals the average cab driver takes home $527 a week after tax -- just 40c more than the $526.60 a single parent gets looking for a job. If the same parent gives up looking and goes on parenting payments they jump to $641.50 a week -- just $7.50 less than a cleaner gets scrubbing floors 38 hours a week but still more than car detailers ($569.80) and dishwashers ($631.54). That's either a lie or a huge mistake. Those figures for unemployed parents would have to be fortnightly, not weekly as the article suggests. The figures are dodgy as. According to the Centrelink website the amount is fortnightly, so a single parent is only paid $320.75 per week Taxi drivers are the lowest paid people in Australia. In the slow month of January, a driver might only take home about $300 per week. Imagine working 60 hours for that!

Throw in the joy of abusive, drunk, passengers and fare-dodgers vomiting all over the back seat. Sounds fab.

Life_goes_on wrote on Jan 30^th, 2012 at 3:41pm:

I said some... not all... and by "some" I mean like a small minority.

well make this small minority the people that are in bad health and have worked most of there lives, and they are in a position financially to retire, Put them on permenent dole, or pension, not the people that need to WORK. so the can live and LIVE well.

warrigal wrote on Jan 30^th, 2012 at 10:12pm:

Life_goes_on wrote on Jan 30th, 2012 at 3:41pm: I said some... not all... and by "some" I mean like a small minority. well make this small minority the people that are in bad health (Smokers and drinkers, people with bad backs )That have worked most of there lives, and they are in a position financially to Retire, Put them on permenent dole, or pension, not the people that need to WORK. so the can live and LIVE well.