Actually, Austin, I really couldn't be bothered. We've been down this track before.

Bye.

Banjo I agree, it is certainly confusing. And the exclusion of Kiwis can only be called downright deliberately deceptive and dishonest!

I presume these are the correct figures:

http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/what_cut_in_immigration/

Ludwig,
They certainly do not make it easy and looks deliberately so. Yes your figures are about in line with mine.

As far as i can ascertain, we received some 50000 permanent and long term Kiwis last year.

Cannot find a projection for this year but if that remains static then the total incoming this year will be 253000.

Therefore the cut of 18500 will be only 7.3%, which is mere window dressing. So in actual fact we are looking at an immigration figure of 234500 for this year. Again this does not include 754 visa holders or overseas students.

No wonder we are cynical of politicians.

CJ, Fractelle, Pelican and all
I wasn’t going to comment but you know me I can't resist a hand full of logic ball bearing into well oiled prejudicial/myopic runaway train thinking. (Just love Gomez’s train set) :-)

I know this is back tracking but can you tell me are Doctors and their families etc. part of the skilled migration scheme? How else can some of out outback town get Dr.? The Conservative bag the Qld Govt on health but where else are the Medico’s going to come from? Aussie Drs are smart business men they congregate where the money’s best (capitalism 101) but still there isn’t enough.

I seem to remember that farmers can’t get pickers? Even guest workers pollute etc. I read somewhere abattoirs had difficulty getting workers to where the work was and to do it. Hmm a conundrum!

Then again I also as a manager having to go overseas for some trades because the skills here were already too thin on the ground.

I also remember a business man I know migrating here on the skilled migrants plan. Within 3 months he was employing 20 staff now employs 60 staff.
I don’t want to sound unfriendly but by some people’s rationale (not necessarily mine) what skills do most Kiwi migrants bring that make them more desirable than an outback Dr etc.?

What seems to have missed the intense gaze of some extremes is that on a global concept it’s the total number that is the real problem and how are we going to sell the idea of birth restraint to the 3rd world while we simply adopt the notion of we’re ok our pollution etc is yuk but you’re the problem?
When I did offer a strategy ask for practical solutions or ask questions…effective silence.

We’re sorry for the interruption by the rave It has been spent… we will now return to the normal programming :-)

Prempting some of the comments...I know I know ... sorry

Hi Examinator -

Yes, doctors are included among the skilled numbers.

As a consumer of rural health services in Qld, I think that while immigrant doctors provide an essential interim service, they are no substitute for Australian-trained doctors. They tend to stay in small country towns only as long as gthey have to, then they're off to the cities to join their Australian colleagues.

I agree with your perception about the commercial priorities of Australian-trained doctors, but I think that these could be overcome by regulation by a Federal government that had the balls to stand up to the AMA. With respect to trades, surely it's up to our education systems and employers to train Australians, rather than poach skilled workers from elsewhere.

As for the demand for seasonal unskilled workers, I can't see why able-bodied refugees shouldn't be required to take up such positions. Given that our current refugee intake is relatively small, if the 'skilled' component were to be cut substantially I think we could accommodate enough bona fide refugees to meet the demand.

Have a great day.

P.S. Ludwig - I wouldn't rely on statistics sourced from Bolt's blog, unless there is a link to the primary source.

Examinator

CJ beat me to it. I agree with all his points:

That refugees could perform unskilled labor.
Australia get back into training up its people instead of importing them. Get tertiary education back for all levels of society not just the cashed up.
Better supported regional centres would encourage more professional such as doctors - more decentralisation, good reliable rail linkages between long distances.

Not feeling all that well today, but I understand the points you are making and I believe they are all solvable given sufficient will from government and business.