Fed: Report calls for Pac island workers in Aust
Pacific islanders would be able to work in Australia as part of a pool of seasonallabourers under recommendations in a parliamentary report calling for more regional integration.
The report, prepared by a Senate committee, backs Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD'S pleafor more cooperation in the Pacific.
It calls for the creation of a joint Pacific economic and political community to helpend the economic and political uncertainty crippling the region.
The report says a Pacific community would involve Papua New Guinea and the smallerPacific states, and could operate with a common currency, likely to be the Australiandollar.
It would also have a shared labour market, which the committee admits would be contentious.
The report says if Pacific island people have controlled access to the Australian labourmarket, then incomes sent back to their countries or origin would help create the basisfor a stronger and less dependent local economy.
AAP RTV rft/wz
KEYWORD: PACIFIC (CANBERRA)
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