Coalition may direct where migrants settle

[matjones]

Coalition may direct where migrants settle - Local News - News - General - The Canberra Times

 

Some quotes include:

 

Mr Morrison said the nation's growth was unsustainable and migration must be cut to prevent the population reaching 36 million by 2050.

 

''If you're here as a guest on a residence visa, either temporary or even on a permanent basis, we need to look at how we can encourage people to be in other places.''

 

The Liberal frontbencher promised to cut skilled migration and said he wanted the Productivity Commission to determine a maximum level of population growth, but would not be bound by the commission's decision if it recommended an increase.

 

Although not a fan of Chris Evans, I worry about what the future holds in terms of migration should the opposition gain power.

[Guest proud2beaussie]

This is what I have been saying for awhile,there have been many posts on the migration issues forum from people saying "The coalition is our only hope" well this just proves my point that that is not necessarily the case,the coalition would ressurect the CSL which would mean even more confusion about processing priorities and they will cut the migration program,that is not good news for visa applicants.

Senator Evans is a shocking minister who seems to think that visa applicants can be treated however he wants to ,and he apparently has no compunction in putting them on a rollercoaster of emotions however I am yet to see any evidence that the coalition would do anything better,I think the best that we could hope for would be that the government was returned and Ms Gillard appointed a new immigration minister-someone who treats applicants as people and not numbers.

[Guest proud2beaussie]

Some more interesting comments here:

Population focus a cover for failure, says RBA director | The Australian

[Alan Collett]

The more I listen to Scott Morrison the more I question his competencies.

 

Ditto Joe Hockey as Shadow Treasurer.

 

I'm not traditionally a left of centre voter, but the members of the present Opposition Front Bench really are a bunch of dills.

 

Onwards!

[Kokki]

If people think there is a difference between labor and liberal, then you are naive. From dealing with the refugee topic, you can see that both parties dread to increase Aust's population. People are not the plague. hehehe. The only hope there is are the Green, I think. They are the only ones to talk about refugees and migrants like human beings and not a statistic. I emailed the greens with a forward of the letter of submission I gave the senate committee regarding this bill. It doesn't matter who wins the election (I think it's labor cause Australians don't know how to change government from the first term), it will be the Greens who will hold the balance of power in the senate. If the bill is reintroduced, I hope the greens will oppose it.

[Guest proud2beaussie]

Actually the greens are the LAST party that anyone who supports skilled migration should vote for.

The green policy on immigration is as follows:

an immigration program that is predominantly based on family reunions and other special humanitarian criteria as defined by international human rights Conventions.

They have no policy whatsoever on dealing with skilled migration in a sensible,timely manner and they have not responded to an email I sent them 5 weeks ago about how they would deal with the

backlog of applications for skilled visas.

Well they sort of have a policy on skilled migration but it says

support skilled migration programs that do not drain critical skills from other countries and do not substitute for training or undermine wages and conditions in Australia.

umm,excuse me how can you support skilled migration if people are not allowed to bring their skills with them!

[Kokki]

Well, That leaves us skilled migrants stuffed. With all hope lost, there is only safety in numbers. I wrote to all the media programs and received no answer at all except to acknowledge that they received my emails. Nothing further has been done. The media is shushing the whole bill and it's being flown under the radar. The only person to advocate for skilled migrants is Peter Mares on the National Radio. I wanted to let the media know about this unfair processing and maybe even push for a documentary to be made (my hubby is a filmmaker). No one wants to deal this issue.

[Guest proud2beaussie]

The bill has been discontinued anyway Kokki,the only thing that people concerned about getting justice and a fair go for skilled migrants can do now is email,write,ring or visit every candidate standing in their area,both house of representatives and the senate,ask them what their views are on skilled migration,ask them if they support their party line and ask them how they would vote if a billl like the cap and cease bill were reintroduced,these people are standing for parliament because they want to help run the country,well it's time to ask them how they would go about ensuring that as we move forward in the 21st century that Australia has a strong,balanced migration program that delivers the skills we need where they are needed,a program that ensures that migrants comply with their obligations to the country but also one that deals fairly with all applications and processes them in a timely manner.

Tell people what they have to do to get a visa but also tell them what we will do for them and when we will do it-not leave them riding a rollercoaster of emotions at the DIAC fairground where you pay thousands of dollars for a ride .

[Guest Jamie Smith]

The Senate enquiry has offically stopped because of the election. Not paused, Stopped. Senate office said if the bill is reintroduced by the next Government then the Senate can again refer it to the committee.

 

In this election there is no guarantee the Coalition will again control Senate, so if Labour win Government AND Senate then the bill will go through without murmur. If Liberals win Govt but not Senate it actually might resurface in a different light, due to Liberals focus on Net Migration (it's double the number that would generate 30m plus population that the politicians are shy about.

 

Net migration includes Ausses returning from overseas, long term students, kiwis and regular migrants, also 457 workers.

 

Was an interesting debate on ABC Lateline last night between Opposition Immigration spokesman and Labout population Minister (I think the opposition won it), see Lateline - ABC and transcript at http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2010/s2961791.htm

 

But with NOM at nearly double the target, I would speculate that future policy changes to knock 120,000 off NOM will be:

 

a) student numbers crash will take maybe 50,000 out of the system, leaving 70,000 to be clipped from elsewhere

b) there will be visas in restricted numbers for Kiwis who don't have jobs to come to or on the SOL, so the usual 30,000 per annum might fall to 10,000, leaving 50,000 to be clipped

c) skilled independent to fall by 20,000 as a result of more tightening on occupations lists, leaving 30,000 to be clipped

d) the quick validation visit system that allows people to delay arriving permanently by a year or two might disappear and along with it visas granted and validated but not back here in say 3 months. This would allow government to better track and control inflow

e) reduction in other visa numbers

f) more emphasis on politically saleable migration, eg 457 with jobs on SOL, perhaps a regional ENS or much more emphasis on RSMS, resurrection of regional 457s, tax breaks and housing subsidies for new regional residents incl Australians who move plus tax hike and housing penalty for migrants going to urban areas

g) capping on urban or uncontrolled location for migration but not capping regional migration visas

etc

 

I repeat this is just my speculation but I also suggest viewers of this forum start thinking like the above, and GET IN QUICK.

 

Both political parties are wanting to reach the lower NOM unless they support more than 30 million population (a hard sell so not likley to happen yet until there is clearer modelling and justification for it)

[wrussell]

The more I listen to Scott Morrison the more I question his competencies.

 

Ditto Joe Hockey as Shadow Treasurer.

 

I'm not traditionally a left of centre voter, but the members of the present Opposition Front Bench really are a bunch of dills.

 

Onwards!

 

Traditionally the demographic that kept coalition parties in government was uneducated middle aged women. Looks as if they have dropped the baton and the honourable member for Lalor is running with it.

 

An excerpt from an email I sent to a client today:

 

... in any case the politicians will be too busy trying to be elected to concern themselves with migration plans; except draconian plans for refugees.

 

The lunatics are running the asylum. They are spending 43 billion on

broadband infrastructure and 263111 is not on the independent list.

 

PS Stop worrying. You are paying us to do the worrying.

[Guest VickyMel]

d) the quick validation visit system that allows people to delay arriving permanently by a year or two might disappear and along with it visas granted and validated but not back here in say 3 months. This would allow government to better track and control inflow

 

...I repeat this is just my speculation

 

 

This would be a pain for us - we have waited 2/3 years in limbo (some of it our fault/choice not DIACs) putting off doing things like moving or switching to better jobs.

Up till now we had been looking at moving in 3-6 month timescale after getting a visa.

 

Given we are now being told 2-3..? years and that we shouldn't put our lives on hold or expect anything we are now considering looking at the potential of a 3 year position somewhere else (we have been putting off such options prior to now due to not wanting to let any employers down) We would want to complete an appropriate period of time with any new employer and not let them down - as we are decent folk.

 

That would be possible under the current rules - but potentially difficult if they are changed to require the shorter period of time depending on timeframes and contracts.

 

Hey ho

 

VickyMel

[mlsdq]

IMO. It's the right for the country leader to reduce the intake of immigrants if this affects the population by 2050. Each country has the right to control. The issue is, immigration had a mistake, and applicants suffered from it. If Aus Immi was good enough to control the influx of visitors to come and work in Aus AT FIRST, it would be a smooth-flowing and fair process. Australia is one of the hundreds of countries to settle in, if it's not possible to live in Aus, we can have another choice.

 

I think the immigration must be the one to stop and go accepting applicants. Not applicants who just follow their instincts that since the it's still open,they are still be accepted and MUST hope.

 

It's about the policy that makes it a mess. Not people for coming to Australia.

[Kokki]

The bill has been discontinued anyway Kokki,the only thing that people concerned about getting justice and a fair go for skilled migrants can do now is email,write,ring or visit every candidate standing in their area,both house of representatives and the senate,ask them what their views are on skilled migration,ask them if they support their party line and ask them how they would vote if a billl like the cap and cease bill were reintroduced,these people are standing for parliament because they want to help run the country,well it's time to ask them how they would go about ensuring that as we move forward in the 21st century that Australia has a strong,balanced migration program that delivers the skills we need where they are needed,a program that ensures that migrants comply with their obligations to the country but also one that deals fairly with all applications and processes them in a timely manner.

Tell people what they have to do to get a visa but also tell them what we will do for them and when we will do it-not leave them riding a rollercoaster of emotions at the DIAC fairground where you pay thousands of dollars for a ride .

 

Thanks for the help and the advice. I'll keep trying to raise this issue as most Aussies do not even know about it and they have the right to. It affects their international reputation and a lot of local businesses as well. I'm not sure I will ask the question to the person running in my area cause it is Bill Shorten (the guy who made a deal with Gillard to remove Rudd). Ironic but funny.