We have recently seen mass protests in Australia against immigration and recently an MP, Andrew Hastie resign and go the Liberal Party backbench federally over the issue.

http://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/right-to-protest-march-for-australia-rallies-against-mass-migration-draw-support-and-controversy/news-story/a461f8d4b3d1527ae74de6cb6f39e4c7

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-03/andrew-hastie-quits-shadow-cabinet/105850958

What I find strange though is the fact people at these rallies only ended up in Australia due to family members immigrating to Australia.

Andrew Hastie, although opposing further immigration, also benefits from his family immigrating to Australia also.

I would say the bigger issue here, is that we actually have a racism problem. These people objecting have a dislike for those from other countries, despite the fact their family members came from overseas.

It's all a bit strange really and very selective.

What I also find strange about this whole scenario is Aboriginal people had land taken away from them by people from overseas. I don't see any objection from protestors or Andrew Hastie about that.

Yes we should have a discussion about immigration in Australia in terms of sustainable population numbers and the environment, but bringing other issues into the debate like race have nothing to do with the issue. After all most people in Australia came from elsewhere or had family members who did.

Could you imagine if we were barred from entering or told to leave? We have always been a generous, open place that welcomes people and should continue to do so.

The Albanese government has no standards on immigration.

‘Jobs and Skills Australia’ has revealed that 50% of international university graduates in Australia are doing jobs below their skills level, and have nothing to do with their qualifications. They would not pay to come here to study if it were not for the chance of work and residency. Australian universities are not that good, internationally anyway; it's all about back-door immigration (although the universities’ immigration work is not much of a secret anymore) work, and eventually getting the family in. And, employers can hire on the cheap. Even those incomers working in the fields they are qualified for are being paid 49% of domestic employees in business roles, and $40,000 less in engineering and computing.

Is there not a chance that people knowing that they are being ripped off might be a little careless in their work? Not just in say, communications, but everything?

“Migration, not education, drives enrolments”. 70% of all students say so. 77% of Indian students say so. 79% of Nepal students say so. Once you get into Australia, you will never be kicked out.

Many of these here-for-ever students have “churned through” 5 or 6 different visas (at our cost) to cling on.

And, because of their numbers, the English proficiency, and the actual practice of speaking it has gone to pot

Writer and political commentator Nick Cater's latest newsletter calls time on what he describes as “Multicultural Mirage: a 50 year experiment in state-enforced harmony that has failed”.

State imposed cohesion has failed.

Cater traces the dangerous policy back to Trudeau Canada's 1969 “clumsy” attempt to ease tensions created by biculturalism - English/French. Other groups felt left out. And in 1971 it was decided by Pierre Trudeau that there wasn't “an official culture”, and no ethnic group had precedence over any other.

In the debate that followed, only one voice dissented and pointed out that Canadians would become a collection of competing groups at war with one another.

And, so it came to pass: wherever multiculturalism has been forced on citizens by elites, with no discussion.

Apparently the Beatles ‘Image’ was about this “borderless, faithless” Utopia in which “humanity would live as one”.

Gough Whitlam fell in love with the idea in 1973. Even though they highlight differences, cultural distinctions, diversity, it was thought that (indeed it was insisted) that Australians recognise themselves as part of a “single national project”. What that was was never defined.

However, with mass immigration and regular hate-fests on our streets and increasing division between people, there is clearly no such ‘project’.

Identity politics thrive. Multiculturalism is a top-down policy. Cater writes that it is reaching the end of its “USELESS” life.

I hope so.

That silly word ‘racist’ used by the numbnuts has nothing to do with growing calls to moderate immigration into overloaded Australia. Balance and common sense is being called for. As for me, if anyone wants to call me a racist because I don't believe different races were meant to live together: fill your boots. I don't care.

Anglo-Celtic Europeans are tipped to be in the minority in Australia within decades. Most of the creeps cheering this on, or are actually involved in mass immigration of anyone who wants to come here will be dead by then, but they will be remembered as the lunatics who turned the First World into the Third World. I hope there is an afterlife so that I can watch.

All the while that the loonies jabber about white ‘invasion’ they are committing racial and cultural suicide. There has never been another people in history as mad as they are.

Demanding a standard on immigration when there's a questionable standard of migrants is nothing short of the stupidity we're experiencing now.
For anyone can compare racism with ideology indicates they have no concept of either.
Those who demand anyone just be let in should offer rooms in their homes because detention centres & jails are fully booked.

The poor standard of the Australian politicians responsible for flooding the country with Third World characters is the standard we should be worried about.

Quite a number of times I've asked here for indigenous to enlighten us on their preferences as to which ethnicity migrants if any at all they would rather see than Westerners.
To-date no-one's replied.
As to Haste having benefitted from his family moving here well, so have all others even those who oppose having to share the place with those they so despise yet benefit from.
The migrants who drag medieval ideology into the country & openly declare that their duty is to take over the Nation aren't migrants at all, they're conquerors who bring no benefits unlike the Europeans did.

Australia’s permanent visa program delivered just 166 tradespeople last year

The above headline from the 'Noticer'

Sobering if true !

Yes, there are undoubtably racists among those who protest against immigration, but its is an oversimplification to say that all opposition to current migration policies is racist.

I am a migrant myself and I think Australia’s relatively large levels of migration and policies of multiculturalism have been a great success. More that half of Australians were either born overseas, or have at least one parent who was. But I suspect migration policy will have to change if we are to sustain our success.

One issue is the sheer number of migrants – net overseas migration was 446,000 in 2023-24 and 536,000 in 2022-23. This was far higher than the average of about 220,000 a year pre-Covid or the previous annual record of 299,870 in 2008-09. I suspect this is contributing to the housing affordability crisis and putting pressure on infrastructure and public services such as health and education.
http://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/overseas-migration/latest-release#data-downloads

There are other pressures, too. Overseas student enrolments have more than tripled in the past 20 years and there are more than 700,000 overseas students studying here. There are many benefits that overseas students bring, but they also need to be housed and use infrastructure and services. And as ttbn points out, there is evidence that some students are not here primarily to study but to earn an income and perhaps find an easier pathway to permanent residence.

A more complex issue that can easily shade into racism is the composition of the migrant intake. The horrifying rise in antisemitism in recent years and the fact that almost all terrorist incidents in Australia in the past 15 years have been linked to Islamic extremism suggests we should be more careful in screening migrants whose views and possible actions are fundamentally incompatible with the values and interests of the host community.

I am pro-migration and pro-multiculturalism, but within limits. Quantity and quality matter. The key question that should guide policy is whether migration delivers benefits to the existing population. We seem to have lost sight of that somewhat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzFSzOa9aTM
Rhian,
The above link tells exactly what's going on because it is allowed to go on. No different here in a couple of years. It's in the making now.

Rhian,

<<Yes, there are undoubtably racists among those who protest against immigration, but its is an oversimplification to say that all opposition to current migration policies is racist.>>

No, certainly not all, but most.

In fact Andrew Hastie has opposed the Liberal Party policy on net zero emissions in Australia.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-15/andrew-hastie-flags-resignation-or-sacking-over-liberal-net-zero/105776432

So, he is certainly not opposing immigration on environment grounds. He is opposed to his own party policy on net zero, so I don't see him as an overly environmentally minded person.

It is about race, perceptions and double standards. It is O.K for his family to come to Australia, but not anyone else. It's all a bit rich and very hard for many people to take - including reasonable people I know who are not extreme leftists or anything along those lines.

We saw similar with the pro-Australia protests held recently. People being very selective towards people from overseas (excluding their own family members of course).

<<One issue is the sheer number of migrants....>>

We have had the Liberal Party federally come out and support the reintroduction of the baby bonus. They want people to have more children and financially support those that do. If it's about numbers you don't support policies like that. Also I think you'd find many would support people from overseas, but only from certain countries.

<<Overseas student enrolments have more than tripled in the past 20 years and there are more than 700,000 overseas students studying here.>>

Overseas students are not immigration. Yes, there are people who try and stay here, but again that is not immigration. I would say to address that we reduce the number of overseas students at Universities. Another example is refugees. They are not immigration either. They have been forced from their place of origin beyond their control.

Finally in terms of quality, we have plenty of people who have lived here for generations and are terrible people. For example in the pro-Australia rallies of recent included neo-nazis. Hardly people to idolise or show any respect for.

Hi Nathan

I agree with much of what you say.

I am not against population growth, whether by migration, natural increase or both. I am concerned, however, that the current unprecedented rate of growth is beyond our capacity to comfortably absorb.

If the Coalition wants to try to boost fertility rates in Australia it is likely to have only modest and gradual effects on population growth rates that can easily be accommodated. We could double the rate of natural increase and it would still be far less than population growth through migration.
http://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/mar-2025

I also agree that overseas students are not migrants, though some go on to become permanent residents. I don’t oppose that, either. If they are a suitable fit for the skills we need, it’s a good thing. My point was that even temporary residents can add to demand for housing and pressure on infrastructure and services to the detriment of the permanent population.

Similarly for refugees. These may or many not be migrants, depending on the visa they are issued. Refugees admitted under the Humanitarian Program have permanent residence. Unauthorised arrivals such as those brought by people smugglers may be granted temporary visas, and there are pathways for some of these to get permanent residency. But they all need somewhere to live.

Yes, lots of people whose families have been here for generation are terrible. So what? That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to stop other terrible people from coming here, and trying to ensure that those who do don’t do terrible things.

The growing backlash against multiculturalism in Europe has seen the simultaneous rise of antisemitism, Islamophobia, white nationalism, hostility to migration and racial violence. Indyvidual’s link to the vile criminal British racist “Tommy Robinson” (not his real name) may indeed signal what could happen here if we are not careful

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=25490218100595872
Think this won't happen here ? Democratic my lilly-white butt !

"What I find strange though is the fact people at these rallies only ended up in Australia due to family members immigrating to Australia."

Oh no, here we go, I'll try to be nice.
Lets start here...

Back in 1810 for me my paternal forefather came here NathanJ,
12 generations ago, and I have a small part of indigenous ancestry.
I dare you to call me a fecking immigrant.

"I would say the bigger issue here, is that we actually have a racism problem. These people objecting have a dislike for those from other countries, despite the fact their family members came from overseas."

Not all immigrants seem to be as desireable as others.
So what if people are racist, maybe that just simply means 'preference', as in prefer no crazy religious lunatics, prefer people who want to be here and embrace our lifestyle and ways, prefer people who arent here 2 minutes and starting pointing the finger and complaining their taxpayer funded handout wasn't big enough.

Why wouldn't people prefer their own kind?
the immigrants do and it's not a problem if they do it.
Why would people who have lived long enough to see their suburbs overrun with foreigners and themselves become a minority be overjoyed about it?

My vote doesn't buy me a say in the type of people I'd prefer to coming here.
I never voted for Africans with machetes and streets blocked for Muslim prayers.

'...simultaneous rise of antisemitism, Islamophobia, white nationalism, hostility to migration and racial violence'.

So, diversity IS or ISN'T a strength?

People Finding Out Diversity Isn't a Strength
http://youtu.be/TojBK2NS984

So, diversity IS or ISN'T a strength?
Armchair Critic,
Well, for decent caucasians it definitely isn't strength !

Looks like this UK soldier found a better place to be at.

Kiss My A**, Your Bloody…’: UK Soldier ‘FIGHTS’ For Russia, BURNS British Passport On Cam
http://youtu.be/WPkB7Jml15o

Armchair Critic,

<<Back in 1810 for me my paternal forefather came here NathanJ,
12 generations ago, and I have a small part of indigenous ancestry.
I dare you to call me a fecking immigrant.>>

Well you still benefited from people coming from other places, outside of Australia.

<<Not all immigrants seem to be as desireable as others.>>

Well neither are many people already living here in Australia. I don't always get on with some of my own family members. We disagree on positions or issues and we don't always get on, even in the best of times.

<<So what if people are racist, maybe that just simply means 'preference', as in prefer no crazy religious lunatics...>>

I notice here you have been pro-Palestinian. Not something I oppose though.

To put this in perspective the Liberal Party recently came out against the government welcoming Palestinian refugees at an Australian airport. Why is that acceptable? I would argue their opposition is political and based around hatred and double standards more than anything else.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/home-affairs-minister-tony-burke-under-fire-over-airport-welcome-for-palestinian-refugees/news-story/6db6c84df43c674ed62ae0e52af7bc58

In terms of crazy religious lunatics, embracing our way of life etc. also very selective and ignores the fact Australia to a certain degree is based around freedoms. Not totally, but to a good degree.

Also note this from social media:

"Palestinian Christians in Australia warmly welcome our newest arrivals (the ones greeted by Tony Burke) into our beautiful country. Several people landed last night in Sydney and Melbourne, and we are overjoyed to see loved ones finally reunited - spouses, children, parents and friends embracing once again after long periods apart."

I would hardly call that a religious, lunatic, fringe view coming from Palestinians in Australia.

<<Why wouldn't people prefer their own kind... suburbs with other people and so on.....>>

Many do prefer and like people of various types and backgrounds and like the dynamics that comes from such variety. It's all interesting and likeable.

Hi NathanJ,
Thanks for your reply, and sorry I came across a little harsh.
- It was a point I wanted to emphasize, that just because others wish to round everything down to the lowest common denominator, that people themselves don't necessarily identify themselves as being that which others identify them as.

"Well you still benefited from people coming from other places, outside of Australia."
- Yes that would be true, but it's a 2 way street, not a one way street.
Newcomers who came after my ancestors were already here, benefited from what my ancestors had already done.

My father set up a family tree on ancestry.com about a decade ago, but he only added 4 generations, I spent half a day digging through online records and got about 12 generations back to the 1810's where the records became obscure, and there was a man named 'Angus'.

I couldn't get to the answer I wanted, which was a story passed down that 'my original forefather was sent here on a convict ship for stealing a sheep', I couldn't find records for an 'Angus + last name' in any of the original convict fleets, so I don't even know if the story passed down is true.

If you expanded the family tree the other way, from the point of 'Angus' I probably have many many distant relatives that all contributed to this establishment of Australia as a modern country long before the majority of the people that came after.

And also I have a very small amount on indigenous australian ancestry, not that you'd know by looking at me.

I asked a relative last night (relative by a family remarriage, whose parents immigrated to Australia from Europe after WWII, and even he said he would take issue with anyone that referred to him as an immigrant.

[Cont.]

"Well neither are many people already living here in Australia. I don't always get on with some of my own family members. We disagree on positions or issues and we don't always get on, even in the best of times."
- I can't argue with you there, it just shows that not everybody gets along with everyone else. When do Labor and the LNP ever get along?

"I notice here you have been pro-Palestinian. Not something I oppose though."
I may well be a little bit Anti-Semitic by others definition.
My support for the Palestinians should not be considered support for Islam, or that I stand with others who support the same cause and have been seen to be playing up on our streets.

My support is more of a private stance rather than being part of any group, and ultimately a pro-human rights issue.
An opposition to occupation, oppression and slaughter of innocents.
Opposition to wars by the U.S. and Israel, (and the questionable-compatability of some of these people these wars have brought and their difficulty adapting to the Australian way of life)
A belief that people under occupation and oppression have every right to fight for their own self determination.
Its also a belief that nations should pursue a genuine course of diplomacy, dialogue and compromise rather than conflict

"I would argue their opposition is political and based around hatred and double standards more than anything else."
- And I'd agree with you, I'm sure they'd happily welcome Israelis. Ultimately I don't think anyone should be getting a special taxpayer funded welcome, but maybe from Gaza maybe it could be considered 'special circumstances'.

"In terms of crazy religious lunatics, embracing our way of life etc. also very selective and ignores the fact Australia to a certain degree is based around freedoms. Not totally, but to a good degree."
- Agreed, and they have to assimilate to our way of life, we don't have to assimilate to where they came from.

I hope they're decent people, become good citizens and don't cause any trouble, and no taking part in protests for 5 years. I wonder if we'd have accepted them if they were Palestinian Muslims?

"Many do prefer and like people of various types and backgrounds and like the dynamics that comes from such variety. It's all interesting and likeable."
Agreed, each to his or her own.
But when suburbs become foreign or ethnic enclaves, and existing Australians become minorities in their own suburbs the conversation becomes more complicated.

I believe the people already here have a right to decide the kinds of people we want coming to join us, regardless of claims of racism, so what call it 'logical preference for people more compatible'
- Existing citizens have voting rights and a say over the new non-citizen applicants.

Armchair Critic said "Existing citizens have voting rights and a say over the new non-citizen applicants"

Answer- True Armchair Critic!

Existing citizens have voting rights and a say over the new non-citizen applicants.
Armchair critic,
Yes, at least on paper ! Everyday reality does make it look different though !
I'm not enlightened enough on the return of Isis brides however, from what I've read most Australians expressed opposition to bringing them back but come back a few apparently did.
Isis brides are technically immigrants since they denounced their Australian citizenship. So, for them to return must have involved granting residency, something many bona fide applicants are denied.

Ley and other wet Liberals were grovelling to Indians at the Diwali festival, sporting caste marks and looking ridiculous, over the weekend.

Forty percent of foreign “students” stay in Australia for good.

Seventy percent of “students” admit that immigration was a key factor in their choice to “study” in Australia.

Hence the 400,000 bridging visas issued in August, four times more than issued in 2020.

77% of Indian students, and 79% of Nepalis were in on the racket. And, why wouldn't they be, given the slack or deliberately encouraging Albanese government?

These people choose courses that are ‘cheap and easy’ that they never intend to work in. They end up Uber driving, or starting their own businesses. Enrolling in education is just to gain an entry visa to Australia.

In the last three years, Treasury had planned for an overall 810, 000 new arrivals; but the number was 1.4 million, because Treasury doesn't have a clue about the student/immigration racket. Their ‘model’ contains 16%, when it is actually 35-40%. Duh!

Its a grift too, selling citizenship.
The course fee structure works by charging foreigners twice the price of their Aussie counterparts.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0dAqqFrDiu0

Two good options !

Anyone have any issues with these options ? The lack of comments suggest Australians are ok with the country heading down that path !

Looks like the video link is another inconvenient truth clip ?

AU society has changed those that have babies want the govt; to raise them. Females that want kids at home do not have husbands. Men prefer to by cars than get married. women are to easy to come by.
We need migration to fill the void of no kids. So where is the double standard.

doog,
Put like you just did it does sound as if it were so. Reality however, is drastically different from every angle. Australia's birthrate is not down, it's the birthrate of the producing wedge of the Demographic pie that is down because of the demands on them. The hangers-on breeders & users are well ahead of the cycle.
I don't know how true some of the statements are regarding the last record intake of migrants but I read that there were a mere 35 trades people among the so-called refugees.
Those sort of figures aren't showing the light at the end of the economic tunnel, they show the lights of the economic train heading for derailment !

Care about Australia ? watch this !

https://youtu.be/nQC-MUc5jyk?si=3XK03FEWc01ky7sZ

This history of immigration to Australia is very interesting

https://youtu.be/fafbGfeMS8Y?si=zFwtEfxC78B_GZDb

Every interloper gets a welcome package, priority assistance and centrelink for their 4 wives and 17 children.
Regular Aussies get told "Shuddup!"
While being expected to blindly support things which are not in their interests, from a expected fear of woke name calling.

Wow, the patriotic Left gets more conspicuous by its absence in the comments.
Now, why would that be I ask ?

Some people may identify as immigrants
They may think this country is made up of immigrants
Immigrant Nation!

Others however may take offense at being labelled an immigrant.
I am not necessity what you decide I am.
Not everything was the same in all of Australia.

People in Melbourne have had a much greater ethnic mix than other capital cities.
We do not all live in Melbourne or Western Sydney.
But they went and made the whole entire contry Melbourne and Western Sydney, right out into the regional areas as well.

Immigrant nation my arse.
When I went to school, here was 2 Chinese girls and one from PNG.
The rest of the school was white and I lived in a capital city too.
Not my fault they packed the country like sardines with foreign people, then decided to burn the flag, and relabel the country as a multicultural immigrant nation.

I didn't make the changes, and I didn't change in order to accommodate the newcomers.
I don't have to change who I am to support the hive mind.

Kudos ttbn, Indyvidual, Armchair Critic.