Deputy Speaker, while there are a number of positive amendments contained in this Bill, such as advanced passenger processing and the adding of human smuggling and trafficking to the list of crimes, the ACDP shares some of the concerns expressed by other members from the opposition.
As far as the work visas are concerned, we regret the lack of a regulatory impact assessment. As a nation we are confronted by a lack of skilled persons. Rather than assisting in obtaining such skilled persons from other countries, the Bill, in our view, makes it more difficult for companies to bring in such skilled persons. It makes sense to allow for a discretionary clause in terms of which someone could approach the director-general with an application where he or she possesses a critical skill that is not listed. This, however, was not agreed to.
The ACDP also cannot understand why, by the deletion of section 46, immigration practitioners have effectively been banned from representing people in immigration matters. In our view, this amendment may result in the Bill being unconstitutional and for these reasons the ACDP won't support this Bill. I thank you. [Applause.]