Firstly on the Chinese story we have plenty working here in Perth for builders. They usually can't speak any English and have a over lord contractor (also Chinese who can speak the lingo) and collects they money for them and obviously scams them plenty. I believe after we signed a free trade agreement with China, Chinese labour doesn't a 457 visa to do work in this country, but would obviously have to have some form of work permit? Anyone know the hard facts on this issue.
I know about the contracting situation as Chinese did all our tiling and plastering, under this contractor for the builder. Down the road from where I work and large aged care facility as just been finished and I know plenty of them were non English speaking Chinese. How do they deal with safety issues on site when they can't read or speak English is beyond me. Now if anyone wants to accuse me of being racist for bring this up, then take a hike. My wife is Chinese (Australian born) and most of extended family is Chinese. I go past new apartment buildings being built with clearly a lot of Chinese trades working on site. A lot of new apartment owners are complaining about the quality and finishing on there and many with major and electrical and plumbing issues as well. Frasers near the WACA completed a few ago now has had plenty of problems and has been in the media over it.
Home building has always been a major employer in this country, but if we keep undermining like we are, we are doomed. The mining boom gave rise to 457s, now all the shysters, hospitality, horticulture industries, food industries and of course building are hooked on the cheap labour the exploit and I can't see it being stopped. The shyster contractors usually make 10 fold more than the labour they supply and businesses love them, because it gives them an out. As they are only employing the contract to get the job done. Very convenient arms length arrangement. Yeah right you crooks.
I admire what the Chinses have done in there own country, put the lack of standards or enforcement of them will cost them dearly in maintenance aftermath. Maintenance can be more expensive than the build stage. I shall finish there, as that reminds of our poorly built and designed NBN, which I believe will be a maintenance bomb.
If you have money now is the time to buy into Perth inner city property, anything with 10-12km is cheaper than it was 10 years ago. Some great buys if your cashed up. Sydney and Melbourne will now tank like Perth did, way too high. Might be good buying in 2-3 years time though.
