Immigration does not improve per capit gdp, so is parasitic in that any profit derived can only come at the expense of other Australians. Immigration is a major contributor to the trade deficit, and thus also interest rates. It is also a major cause of the housing affordability crisis. Cut immigration and the skilled workers freed up from the task of providing for a growing population would satisfy the skills shortage.

There is also no reason to believe that technology will deliver further labour saving devices. Why is it that for population growth fans, technology is a cure all for the problems of a growing population, yet has nothing to offer to alleviate the shortage of skilled workers?

Fester
I will reply to your comment then go back later and catch up on other peoples.
Your question asking - Will they ever go home?
Thats gives me the impression your objections to people coming here to work and train others in regional areas is not based on your concerns to these poor buggers getting ripped off.

Rather you dont want them here and certainly not to work and perhaps decide to stay on and make Australia home.

You need not worry too much Fester because most do wish to return home to be close to family just like you and I.

However the people that are very interested in coming just to work a season or two are breaking their necks because they get paid much more than in their own countries so if slaves are involved its their not here.

Perhaps then in stark contrast to hard working honest people you dont mind the steady flow of migrants arriving in our major cities.

Many of these people have health problems draining our resources because do gooders arranged for them to have medi care cards and all the lerks and perks that Australia tax payers worked hard for given to them as they get off the plane.

Its a wonderful country for these non working migrants.
We supply housing dental doctors and of course centerlink .We also pay extra for special medication and the list is endless.

I was listening to a lady on the radio the other day trying to helpan elderly Australian born couple whos daughter is very ill
She couldnt asstistance from the Government and the girls medication is four thousand dollars a month.

If these people are happy to work hard by contrast to better their lives at Australia`s advantage I cant see the problem. So long as it is regional areas where we need to labour and not bludgers that use us.
We need these people to train aboriginal people in regional Areas.

daggett
I hear where you are coming from and what you are saying. Fester alike.
I have a big interest in regional areas and meat works. I totally agree with both of you on certain issues but guys as I pointed out who wants to rely of tin food from China to feed our country.
For God sake they grow it on humam excrument. You dont rely on your neighbour to feed your kids if your a good parent or any sort of a parent so what types of Governments are stupid enough to rely on China or elsewhere to feed Australia.
Somebody was complaing about infusructure. I cant remember who but you need jobs and infustructure to keep a country going.

I am the FIRST person to put my hand up and say STOP migration into our cities. STOP giving out center care payments and FREE everything out of over taxed hard working Aussies.

The FEW Aussies that do work work darn hard and THEY are carrying millions of lazy little bludgers who dont CARE where our food comes from and LIKE our jobs going overeas in FEAR of being made to work.

If you dont want more migrants the definatly dont vote labour I will give you the drum.

Because IF they win the elections its because of the high degree of labour imagrants that DONT want to work and DO want to bring in more and moire of the relatives to suck the life out of this country.
However please dont pick on the ones who want to come work dam hard in Abattoirs in regional areas.
We need those guys because Australians are mostly TOO lazy and its a discrace somebody has`nt made them get off their bums and
GET A JOB IN THE BUSH- It would do them good to work as our father and grandfathers worked. Then they might learn pride for their country pride for themselves. Enough pride top feed themselves at very least.! But ask when wer`e rounding up all the migrants bludging in the cities? - Thats different.

In most countries of the world, guest-workers should not pose too many problems:

However, in a country that :
-Cannot deport a convicted non-citizen drug dealer, because he was fortunate (or crafty) enough to have had a child born here.
-Provides free (i.e. tax-payer funded) legal support for those wanting to avoid returning -and allows them to squat even when legal appeals have been exhausted.
-Which sanctions generous family re-union scams.
-And which eventually pays generous social welfare to all and sundry .

There are solid grounds to tread– very cautiously!

We need to think a little deeper that what – in the short-term – is the most cost effective means of production .

Sigh,

PALE, if you want to attract people to the rural and regional areas, first provide the jobs. The reason people are leaving for the cities is because there aren't any jobs to be had.

Next, whichever one of the "anti-furrener" mob said that immigration is detrimental to our trade deficit. Umm nooo, what is detrimental to our trade deficit is government policy that is quite happy to let things like a $20 billion industry deficit slide (IT Trade deficit).

Instead of whinging and whining about those damn furreners how about you put forward realistic plans and policies for growing the economy? How about you put up?

Yabby, while I recognise the need for 457 visa's it does need reform. Its still a system designed for executive or specialist positions that has been expanded beyond its regulatory capacity.

Palief

If immigration carried an economic advantage for Australians I would be all for it, and harboring any resentment toward immigrants makes no sense. If there were to be any resentment it would best be directed at the Australians controlling immigration. They carry a moral obligation to justify their actions with sound evidence. From what I observe immigration is a tool for the enrichment of a few Australians at the expense of all.

I only wish to see a sound justification of the policy.

I also think that the potential of technology to transform civilisation is substantially underrated. You speak of how dreadful it would be to get our food from China, but this view assumes that technical innovation is no match for cheap labour. The skilled worker shortage should be seen as a stimulus for technical innovation to improve productivity. Undercutting wages with cheap labour will only stifle such innovation.