Irrespective of what Pauline Hanson said about Albanese's mother - it was uncalled for, particularly the suggestion that a person on a disability pension with no hope in the world of ever buying a house should get out of public housing after a certain period - One Nation has already influenced immigration insofar as both sides of the uniparty are starting to talk about it. Even Albanese is talking about changes including dropping foreign student family visas (how ridiculous are they), limited appeals to tribunals, and better ways to send people back from whence they came.

A One Nation government is fanciful in my opinion; but their gaining enough seats to become a real influencer is definitely not fanciful.

The influence continues, with a proposal to slash 750,000 temporary visas, and get rid of unlawful non-citizens, plus a policy of net-negative immigration for 3 years, with a ‘ceiling’ (no minimum) of 130,000 after that.

The biggest chop would be to foreign students, a reduction from around 600,000 currently to about 350 000; priority given to universities providing student accommodation. The temporary graduate 485 visa (staying on to work, 18month non-renewable) capped at 20,000.

No visas for families of temporary workers.

No visa “hopping” by students trying to stay here after 18 months.

80,000 illegals, 3 months to leave voluntarily, then all out.

Visa overstayers permanently banned from entry.

No change to working holiday makers.

Nobody from ‘do not travel’ countries, including “asylum seekers”.

Straight forward. No ifs or buts.

I cant help thinking that international students get counted twice.

First as students then as skilled migrants.
They cant come here twice.

Does anyone have a problem with us picking our skilled migrants from this group?
After all they are educated in Australian facilities and hold Australian qualifications.

Or do we want to see skills shortages and very low unemployment, probably interest rate increases. Definitely wage rises.

Hi Mikk,

To these prejudiced lot of ignorant's, their mind set view of "migrants" are some non-English speaking uneducated "Pakistani" dressed in a tunic with sandals on his feet and a "topie" cap on his head, carrying a battered old suitcase off the plane.

The truth is, while Australia needs controlled migration, who doesn't agree with that, it also needs skilled workers, which in themselves are "gold" to the economy. To give you an example, a niece of my wife's and her husband "migrated" across the ditch a few years back. He's a successful home builder in Auckland, and she's the office, kids grown up, so they came to the Gold Coast and set up a second building business there. Its been a gold mine for them, bring skilled employees from NZ to work here when needed, and using locals as well. He splits his time between the two businesses, they are only in their 40's, and millionaires.

It depends what the skills are; are the skills real (we are hearing that non-English speaking students are being given qualifications, not earning them). That needs to be investigated. But, allowing students to stay gets us back to the idea that getting a student visa is back-door immigration, which is why one of the terms under discussion is that applications should be made from overseas - i.e go back home, then apply.

As well, some of the non-university courses are ‘iffy’, of no use to either the student or Australia. These people just supply cheap labour to avaricious businesses and lower wages, which are already too low and, perhaps, the reason why locals are among the 700,000 unemployed.

The entire immigration system is a mess, and needs a lot of work done on it.

Hi ttbn,

"wages, which are already too low ". According to the parasite MP Hanson, the one that turns up for work 12% of the time, workers are lazy and should be easily sacked. Is that why One Nation opposes all wage increases, including the last minimum wage increase, wants to supply Gina Rhinoceros with cheap coolie labour. Wants to dismantle workers superannuation. Tell us where does One Nation stand on workers rights and wages? Other than pandering to the mega rich elites.