We have sectors, such as aged and disability care, that native born Australians mostly will not work in. We are reliant on our migrants to fill these positions and mighty grateful for them doing so. Robots can’t do it. And no, the Japanese families look after their elders which is why they live so long.

Most of Asia do not have social security or aged pensions. And family is much more important there than in the dog-eat-dog west.

The elderly are treasured for the wisdom only years can bestow. Moreover, they come as cost-free babysitters when the parents go to work. It's simply a very different mindset.

And as the family prospers, they buy a house they all live in. Then a business, and as the money flows in another house and business.

This is repeated until all the family have homes and independent businesses. Then it's Invesment real estate, market gardens and farms etc. They come as dirt poor migrants and in time become very well off.

If western families went so spoiled and demanding, pooled their resources and worked for each other until they were all well off. We would be a different people and poverty would be virtually non-existent. As would the welfare state.

The billions wasted every year on no hopers and able minded old folk could be used elsewhere to grow the economy and universal wealth creating opportunities.

Let's get back to a country that makes stuff. And emulate the Celtic economic miracle with niche market manufacturing all over the joint. As opposed to exporting our best ideas and best minds!

The above is a market economy with the pedal to the metal. To make it work we need less welfare and energy all can afford, i.e., MSR thorium.

We need instruments, low-cost loans and grants, that allow folk to become independently employed. Funded and facilitated co-ops would be the very best place to start!

Nothing should leave these shores without a modicum of value adding!

Moreover, MSR thorium would allow our arc furnaces to run day and night making steel and aluminium with an exportable and growing surplus.

What can you make using steel or aluminium. Boats, planes, car and truck bodies, engines, window frames, house frames. And that's just the tip of the iceberg!
Alan B.

Lucid, Logical, Libertarian, Leyonhjelm -- one L-of-a piece with a consistent application of principle that's lacking in all our current politicians. Still, immigration policy for a welfare state is a huge challenge. Without a consistent framework it won't improve.

A Demographic that views responsibility as too much of a sacrifice has forfeited its soul !

Robots can pick fruit,
Taswegian,
So can the young unemployed in their Gap Year National Service.

.. that native born Australians mostly will not work in.
estelles,
Ever since the mainly academic based, common sense devoid social engineering brigade infiltrated politics, the entitlement mentality snow-balled to unsustainable levels. The time has now come to oppose this insanity & make merit the only criteria in any employment.
Nepotism has become the enemy of the economy.