Prime Minister Julia Gillard has vowed a new feature to the government's skilled migration plan would ensure that that no foreign worker would take an Australian job in the mining sector.
This comes after union leaders lashed out at the federal government's skilled migration plan that would allow mining magnate Gina Rinehart to bring in 1700 foreign workers.
In Melbourne on Saturday, Ms Gillard announced that a "jobs board" would be created that would give Australian workers information about what jobs were available in the resources sector.
"Yesterday I decided we would add to what we're doing to make sure that Aussies are getting the jobs," Ms Gillard said.
"Companies won't be able to bring in foreign workers if there is an Australian ready, able and willing to do the work on the jobs board."
This comes after Immigration Minister Chris Bowen announced on Friday the government program to allow enterprise migration agreements (EMA) would help mining companies find enough workers for their developments.
"We will have a jobs board which will be a way for Aussies to know what's happening in the resources sector and what the jobs are," Ms Gillard said.
She refused to comment on speculation that she was not consulted about the deal with Ms Rinehart.
"I don't on any given day comment on internal government processes," Ms Gillard said.
Labor Senator Doug Cameron says he's "gobsmacked" by Friday's announcement by the federal government that up to 1715 foreign workers will be brought in for a major mining project in Western Australia.
The former national secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union said he is angry that such an arrangement has been made at the same time as employees are being laid off from other workplaces.
"We've got workers being marched off the job in Kurri Kurri, marched off the job by Qantas in Melbourne and Chinese workers marching in Western Australia," Senator Cameron told reporters.
"I think the politics of this is terrible and I just think we need to have a good look at what's going on."
He said there needed to be better consultation before the move was announced.
"Obviously you don't make a decision like this without it being well-known for some period of time.
"And I think the caucus and the backbench are entitled to hear about big decisions like this a bit quicker than we were."
While not criticising Prime Minister Julia Gillard directly, Senator Cameron said the plan should not have been proceeded with.
"If she (Ms Gillard) knew about it on Wednesday, I think it should have been stopped on Wednesday."
