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.
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"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."
Senator Cameron said the decision has been all about giving mining magnate Gina Rinehart on whose $9.5 billion Roy Hill iron ore project the foreign workers will work, a free kick.
"I mean 1700 workers for Gina Rinehart when she's basically ran a major campaign against this government so that she doesn't have to pay her fair share of tax.
"She's actually argued for a free immigration zone in Western Australia. Well, to some extent she's getting her way a bit on this."
He predicted that a caucus meeting scheduled for this Tuesday will be "extremely robust."
At a press conference this afternoon, Prime Minister Julia Gillard defended the government's plan, saying Australians would be prioritised in the available jobs.
"We gave got an economy 500 billion investment projects in the pipeline. That means there will tens of thousands of job opportunities," said Ms Gillard.
"Now the sheer and size scale of what's happening means we'll need some foreign labour. [But] We're working to make sure Aussies get jobs first."
The Prime Minister said conditions on the Western Australia Pilbara mining project would ensure 80 percent of jobs went to Australians.
She also said measures like a jobs board service would ensure Australians get first priority with job opportunities.
