A key reason  the industry confronts a skills shortage is that it has helped create it by failing to invest in its people, but like businesses in other sectors it now feels free to slough that cost onto taxpayers. So we're left with training programs and importing workers to fill the skills gaps that the rapid expansion of the industry have opened up, or major projects get delayed or cancelled. Preventing employers bringing in workers will simply delay projects and drive up the price of labour (which of course unions are happy to see). In 2011 there were more than 70,000 people in Australia on temporary employment visas. The maximum of 1700 that would be employed at the Roy Hill project are a tiny addition to that, providing some context for the bizarre anger that last week's announcement by Chris Bowen prompted. Quite why Julia Gillard decided to blame the whole thing on Bowen and Martin Ferguson and claim she wasn't aware of it is a mystery. What sort of Prime Minister defends herself by saying she doesn't know what's going on within her own government? This is good policy. Good policy, and bad judgment from the Prime Minister. The story of this government. This is good policy and the answer as to why Gillard tried to stress that Australian jobs will come first is probably down to the response not only from the Unions (who are always going to act in the best interests of their members) but the