I fully agree. The current immigrating policy is both folish and unsustainable. The only purpose it serves is to make certain sections of big business (ie: property developers) richer, but could I ask you good posters, who amongst have actually done anything about it other than venting on this site? Eg: Have you been speaking to local members about your concerns? Have you been writing letters to the immigration minister? For after all, a written letter with your full name and address upon it is much harder to dismiss than a simple email of which Amanda Vanstone receives hundreds a day. And don't stop with the current Federal Government. Write to the opposition. Next year is a voting year and a very good time to get your message across. Bombard Neville Ran with letters and petitions. Heck, bombard everyone and eventually the message might get through. However, I fear Australia hasn't changed much in the last decade or so. We tend to whinge and whine about how "crook" things are, but don't lift a finger (or a pen) and actually set out to try to change things for our betterment. Come on! I'm sick of writing letters to pollies. Help me out here! Even if you do send a simple email message (don't forget your home address or it will be instantly deleted), it's better to have made that simple move than to have sat back and done nothing. Hope you're all with me on this one. Also, join "Get-up" and have a say on your country's future. As the posters above rightly point out, Australia is fast heading down the gurgler while high and mighty Howard literally gets away with murder.....murder of our once "lucky" country and murder of our way of life.

Thanks KAEP,

The link to the discussion arising from Graham Young's article, referred to by Leigh, on the link between immigration and increasing rents, is to be found at:

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=310

(There was considerable contention between Graham Young and myself, but I think he should still be commended for having posted the article in the first place.)

An earlier (somewhat labored, in parts) discussion on affordable housing in response to Andrew Bartlett's article "A crisis in housing affordability", which gave rise to discussion on population and immigration, can be found at:

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=4834

I would also like to again commend Sheila Newman's Master's thesis of 2002:

"The Growth Lobby and its Absence : The Relationship between the Property Development and Housing Industries and Immigration Policy in Australia and France"

This describes how, after the oil shocks of 1973, France, and other European countries, ceased their policies of encouraging high immigration and embarked upon a campaign to establish energy efficiency and self-sufficiency. Australia, at first, under the Whitlam government tried to do the same. However, after it was removed from office, policies of high immigration were resumed, and programs to attain energy efficiency were scrapped. Of course, Energy Minister Rex Connor's visionary plan to make Australia energy self-sufficient never got off the ground. The fact that they resorted to using unorthodox means to raise the funds got blown up, by a hostile newsmedia, into the "Khemlani Affair" which led to the Whitlam Government's downfall.

Fraser, subsequent Labor governments and, of course, the Howard government resumed polices of high immigration and undermined or prospects of achieving energy independence by allowing the farm to be further sold off to foreign corporations. The reason much of this occurred in Australia and not in France, was that in Australia there are significant groups who stand to gain from high immigration at everybody else's expense, whereas this is not the case in France.
If anyone wishes to understand what is largely driving this country today I suggest that they read the thesis, particularly chapter 7. It can be downloaded from http://www.candobetter.org/sheila

I fail to see or understand the logic of our current or previous Governments continually advocating their immigration policies.
Australia no longer has sufficient vital resources to justify immigration. With the recent bushfires ingulfing our country how much of our precious water was used to fight the fires.
Nostra Damus made a lot of predictions in his quotrains which were not deciphered until after events occured.
One of his predictions suggested a country, which in his time had not been discovered. So called experts have suggested it to be Australia.
Nostra Damus prediction went something like this. A new continant would be discovered. Around the year 2000 it would be engulphed in fire and destroyed. Modern day beleivers of Nostra Damus presumed he was predicting the 3rd world war, a war with the potential to completly destroy the world. Perhaps his predictions were more in line with what is courently effecting our country now. From what I understand the bushfires, although contained for now are still burning. We are again facing temperatures into the 30's, which will have the possibility of the fires getting out of control again, resulting in more of our precious water being used. Niether Federal or State Governments are doing anything substantial to rectify Australias water crisis. They need to close the stable door now before all the horses have bolted. Stop further immigration and do more to implementing more water resources.
Gypsy

The entire system is an end product of Proletariat Ineptitude or the artificial intelligent useless Idiot syndrome, and there are some people gathered on this forum who very well know what I mean.

You can well call it; The End of days, or the annihilation principle; Hypocrite does not go any where near explaining the fete that has plagued us by all of our brain dead Looter Elites.
I would call it " The MURDER of Nations" in the first degree and of the worst intent.
Try this Essay;
http://majorityrights.com/index.php/weblog/comments/the_problem_of_the_power_elite/
I don’t know if calling it Political Hypocrisy is sufficient.

But we can draw some comfort in that the whole Western Civilization principle is scheduled for decimation and not Just Australia.
So making way for the: “Third World Reich”. And get used to the Idea of Cave dwelling and tribal wars, its has arrived.
And you’re Private Property and Rights had not existed for 30 odd years, The State Assumed ownership, you were the dumb suckers who feed the Labyrinth of Proletariat and Fascist regimes , Dhimmitude & Taxation. You paid for your own Annihilation.
Happy New year

I did what you suggest for many years, Wildcat. Sadly, as you say, not many people seem to contact politicians, though. Those of us who do are written off as nut cases. I no longer bother. Too old, and too cynical, I suppose.

My biggest problem in 2007 will be to find someone to vote for. I am a conservative (the Howard government is hardly conservative, but that has been my only choice to date). I would not vote Labor in a fit. The silly minor parties and independents are just that - silly.

Until politics is seen as something other than a refuge for no-hopers and control freaks, nothing is going to change. It seems that Australia will have to reach rock bottom, almost a state of anarchy, to get the message through.

The complete lack of regard by all politicians for anything but the next election is a scandal we should all be ashamed of supporting.

Leigh,

"My biggest problem in 2007 will be to find someone to vote for."

Therein lies the solution.

Vote contrary.

If all the parties are as bad as each other, alternate them at each successive election till they no longer find a continuance of personal gain in selling the rights of their constituents to the highest corporate bidder.

This year vote Liberal in the states and labor at Federal level.

ITS THAT EASY to send the message .... we've had enough!

The same-old-same is far too dangerous. As an example, if Howard is reelected the Snowy will be sold. No one wants that but a fifth term will see Howard with a mandate to do just that.

This and similar moves, particularly privatisation of farming, could well result in civil war in this country.


We judge the Fijians harshly for taking back their country but who will judge us when it is our turn to have to take back ours?

Best New Year wishes.