With Neo-Nazis protesting outside the NSW Parliament, Pauline Hanson reviving her burqa stunt in the Senate, and the Federal Coalition promising to reduce Australia's immigration numbers, the topic of immigration has become one of the most heated and debated subjects in public conversation.
In the discourse surrounding "mass migration," Liberal Senator Jacinta Nampinjinpa Price highlighted Indian migrants, alleging that the Albanese Government favors them due to their strong support for Labor – a statement that the data does not support.
However, it would be erroneous to view the anti-immigration movement as merely a few far-right radicals and their allies in Parliament.
Recent polling from Essential Media indicates that slightly more than half of those surveyed believe the current level of immigration is excessive.
Immigrants are being held accountable for the housing crisis. Furthermore, news reports depicting Middle Eastern crime syndicates and violent confrontations among foreign-born youth gangs foster the belief that first-generation migrants are largely to blame for Australia’s violent offenses.
Nevertheless, an examination by the Australian Institute of Criminology indicates that migrants have the lowest crime rates in Australia.
What is the rationale for wanting migrants?
Beyond the obvious fact that, apart from First Nations people, we are all either migrants or their descendants, the argument for migration to Australia hinges on a critical reality that is frequently overlooked – the aging demographic of Australia.
As highlighted in every Intergenerational Report since its initial publication in 2002, if the current trajectory continues, there will be an insufficient number of working-age Australians to generate the necessary income and tax revenue to support those who are retired.
Consider Peter Costello’s 'Baby Bonus,' where he urged young couples to have three children – one for each parent and one for the nation.
Every Intergenerational Report has projected a rising age dependency ratio, which refers to the number of retirees compared to working-age Australians.
What solutions do anti-immigration proponents propose for this issue? The answer is to exacerbate the situation by reducing immigration, particularly targeting migrants with diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Australia's fertility rate, which stands below 1.5 births per woman, is currently only half of what is necessary to maintain its population without immigration. Thus, should the anti-immigration advocates succeed, we would witness a rapid and significant decline in our population.
In order to prevent the anti-immigration entities from establishing a strong presence in mainstream Australian society and within the Parliament, it is essential for us to enhance the perception of our immigration system.
This aim was a primary focus of a recent full-day seminar organized by the College of Business and Economics at the Australian National University, where I had the honor of attending.
During our discussions, we revisited the concept of steering immigrants – as much as feasible – towards Australia’s more vibrant regional hubs such as Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong, Shepparton, Warrnambool, Griffith, Albury-Wodonga, Gladstone, and Darwin.
Almost all of these places are welcoming to newcomers and, unlike larger metropolitan areas, they do not experience overcrowding.
My social media update regarding the workshop attracted a flood of criticism, with some stating that I have spent my life in an office and am oblivious to the fact that rural residents oppose newcomers settling in their communities.
Having been raised in the rural town of Baradine in northwest NSW, I understand that smaller towns actively embrace immigrants – just as they did following World War II when Greek, Italian, and Chinese newcomers established cafes and eateries within them.
A larger population is vital for the town to retain its healthcare services, elder care facilities, a post office, and possibly a couple of banks.
Where were these detractors when the residents of the Queensland town of Biloela extended a warm welcome to a Tamil couple and their children, all while the Dutton government squandered millions attempting to remove them?
Returning to our suggestion regarding migration to regional areas of Australia, the incentive would be a promise of expedited permanent residency and the ability to reunite with family if an immigrant resides in a specified regional location for a minimum of three years. This concept was introduced in 2006 in my policy publication, Vital Signs Vibrant Society.
Federal, state, and territory administrations would need to establish an agreement via the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) regarding the financing of social amenities in these specified regional areas.
A similar initiative was implemented by the Morrison administration in 2019, building on variations of the idea that have existed since 1999.
It would be fantastic if skilled tradespeople from abroad were eager to move to Australia and possessed the required skills and certifications. The reality, however, is that we face stiff competition in the global market for these individuals.
It is encouraging to witness Sussan Ley oppose the extreme right factions within the Liberal and National parties, especially as aspiring leader Andrew Hastie reiterated last Friday that "immigration is out of control and is … destroying our fragile social cohesion. "
Certainly, we should engage in a public discussion regarding the scale and makeup of our immigration strategy. However, those looking to further their political ambitions by criticizing immigrants might want to consider this – without a robust approach to attracting younger migrants, we risk becoming a nation of retirees who grumble about the difficulty of receiving assistance in the aged care facilities where they reside.
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