Kiribati keen to get into Australian scheme

[Stacey King]

RADIO AUSTRALIA NEWS Wed, 5 Aug 2009 15:44:00 +1000

Kiribati has signalled it's keen to start taking part on Australia's seasonal worker scheme.

The leaders of the Pacific's Smaller Island States, meeting in Cairns, have indicated they are keen to see the scheme in place and also an expansion in the number of jobs on offer.

The Special Envoy to the President of Kiribati, Tessie Lambourne, says there are plenty of potential workers in Kiribati for any jobs Australia needs to fill.

"This is a demand-driven scheme, so as long as there is a demand in Australia, we can provide as many as we can," she said.

"We have about a hundred thousand people, most of whom are still a very active population, young and very strong and hard working."

The unskilled worker scheme was announced last year, but has faced numerous delays, and opposition in Australia, and the slowdown in the world's economy, has also led to a decrease in the number of jobs on offer.