Immigration Minister Chris Evans' recent assertion that decisions about who comes to Australia should be determined by employers (http://www.theage.com.au/national/migration-rules-set-for-revamp-20090830-f3ya.html) illustrates how grossly skewed in favour of special interest groups Australia's immigration system has become.

Decisions about immigration should be made in the national interest, which means taking a longer-term look at immigration and ensuring that it serves the interests of Australia and its people. But as CFMEU national secretary John Sutton pointed out, “Individual employers are not focused on the national interest. They are driven by short-term profit considerations and their decisions on immigration, as on everything else, are shaped by their immediate self-interest.” If they can get easy access to cheap, compliant foreign labour, “then they will do so. That is the nature of the beast.” ("Workforce ripe for the picking", SMH, 31/08/09 - http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/workforce-ripe-for-the-picking-20090830-f3vg.html)

Giving employer groups on-demand access to cheap foreign labour amounts to a form of industry subsidy and cannot possibly be defended as being in the public interest. If the business community want skilled workers, they ought to actually invest in the education and training of our existing labour force, or persuade governments to do this (and thereby give skilled jobs to Australians). Instead, the Federal Government seems intent on providing business with the gift of an unfettered stream of immigrants, at a considerable cost to the wider Australian public.

It is common knowledge that immigration serves to drive down domestic wage levels. It is also clear that it acts as a major disincentive to recruiting and training our own people. After all, why bother wasting time and money training native-born Australians when you can simply opt for the quicker and cheaper option of importing foreign labour?

Gone, it seems, are the days when immigration policy was designed to protect the wages and job opportunities of Australian workers.

Whichever way you look at it, the Rudd government’s immigration policy is just foul beyond belief.

There are so many issues, and that’s without even considering the biggest issue of all – our prospects of achieving a sustainable society if we continue to foster a very rapidly increasing population.

This country needs Rudd to be booted out of office at the next election.

If ONLY the opposition could see the light on how to espouse policies that are strongly different to Rudd’s rabble, that are in the interests of the nation and that would resonate with the populace!

That’s not a big ask. They could so easily do it, and sell these policies to the voting public in time to convince them of their veracity and win the next election.

These policies would be centred on immigration / population growth / sustainability. The Australian public is already pretty strongly opposed to high immigration.

Of course, the libs won’t do this and therefore won’t have the tiniest chance of winning power until Rudd has worn out his welcome in at least three terms time.

immagration has a few uses
mainly cheap labour...

when our euro ancestors..fled the destruction of world wars...we came here as cheap labour..to subvert the lawfull indigenants...

[then...still...as now..a sovereign people...protectors of the land trust...and gods creation...enjoined heirs in common...by sovereign origonie..[origonlal claim]..right

our leaving...our own euro homelands..hasnt destroyed our right of claim...nor duties...were all ab-origonal from some where...the games played in this scam is huge

see that there is no such thing as australia...in govt...its all law /paper fictions...where we have become subserviant to a corperate fraud..ima-grants...are city-zens....displaced from their home...thus lawfully declared wards of the state[slaves to govt fictions]

see applying for a licence is what slaves do..common law has rights to free travel...licences are only needed to do business....drivers drive vehicles to generate income....thus only needed by thosse doing driving in a [regestered] vehicle...registration means you dont own it[they do]...your per-mission...has become their means of abus

Ludwig,

While I agree with you the current government's attitude to immigration sucks, the sad fact is I don't think the rest are such different. The Greens, supposed champions of the environment, don't have anything like a reasonable population policy. It just boggles the mind to see them call themselves "green" without one.

But back to the topic. You say you aren't going to support Rudd, but that is the easy bit. Finding someone who is better is the hard bit. Who is it?

For once I agree with Efranke. This 'skilled migration' business is a rort that undermines Australian businesses' and governments' responsibilities to provide adequate education and training to young Australians.

As I've said before, our current immigration rates are unsustainable on ecological grounds. In my opinion, immigration should be restricted to bona fide refugees and to a small number of family members of Australian citizens - e.g. spouses.

Ludwig, while I agree that the Rudd government's immigration policies are unsustainable, you're dreaming if you think the Opposition is going to be less receptive to demands for cheap imported labour from employer groups.

Perhaps you could form a new single-issue "anti-immigration" party - except that it would undoubtedly be overrun by racists and xenophobes. Mind you, you've demonstrated before now that you don't mind their company.

The rest are no better than Rudd. You are right there rstuart.

“You say you aren't going to support Rudd, but that is the easy bit. Finding someone who is better is the hard bit. Who is it?”

Well….there is no one. So what are we to do? We have to start working on creating one.

.
“Ludwig…you're dreaming if you think the Opposition is going to be less receptive to demands for cheap imported labour from employer groups.”

Yes CJ, I’m dreaming. I did say in my last post; “Of course, the libs won’t do this…”

But hey, what is the way forward? Do you think that there is a better chance of swaying the Groans…um.. Greens? A single-issue immigration party wouldn’t cut it. Perhaps a new sustainability party would.

Even though there is about 1 in 1 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 chance of the libs becoming the sustainability party, give or take a couple of orders of magnitude, I think that it is still worthwhile raising the possibility and harping on it across different threads on OLO. Better that than to say nothing.

Efranke is correct, it is about cheap labour not skilled labour.

The number of people currently being exploited under this system by a few unethical employers seems to be growing. Such as promises that are never kept, conditions that are not revealed until arrival, reduced pay for 'rent' which is often a dorm type cupboard etc is inexcusable for a country who claims to be of a First World standard.

Only one step up from the sex slave traders. Naturally not all employers are like this but the few that exploit these poor workers are not nearly monitored enough by government. Yet you will still get people arguing for less not more government regulation.

The only way I can see a change coming about in the future is if one of the major parties break the agreement they have in not discussing or debating immigration matters.

If one of the parties see some electoral advantage this may happen, given the principles they do not have.

Or business stops making donations to them.