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🇦🇺 Australia /Elections & Politics

Who's really behind 'Big Australia'? Taylor's high immigration stance raises eyebrows

From ABC Australia · (1d ago) English Mixed tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Liberal leader Angus Taylor criticized Australia's immigration levels and the "values" of some migrants, but did not specify how he would cut numbers.
  • The article questions who is responsible for the current migration system, built over decades by both Coalition and Labor governments with input from vested interests.
  • It highlights that the current "demand-driven visa" system, particularly for students and graduates, has led to high net overseas migration, with governments sometimes caught off guard.

The debate surrounding immigration in Australia has once again been ignited by Liberal leader Angus Taylor's recent speech. While Taylor has pointed fingers at the "values" of certain migrants and the perceived erosion of standards in our immigration system, he conspicuously failed to outline any concrete plans for reducing immigration numbers. This leaves many questioning the substance behind his critique.

He said immigration was too high, and he questioned the "values" of some migrants that Australia has accepted.

— Angus TaylorThe article quotes Taylor's recent controversial immigration speech.

This commentary, from the perspective of ABC Australia, seeks to delve deeper than the surface-level rhetoric. We must ask: who actually built the migration system that Mr. Taylor now finds so problematic? The reality is that our contemporary migration framework is not a natural phenomenon; it is a construct, meticulously built over decades by successive Coalition and Labor governments. Furthermore, this system was bolstered by the influence of "free market" think tanks that actively encouraged the integration of Australia's labor market with a globalized workforce.

But Mr Taylor did not say how he would cut immigration numbers if he becomes prime minister, nor how many numbers he would cut.

— AuthorThe author points out the lack of specifics in Taylor's immigration proposals.

What's particularly striking is the reluctance of some experts, when speaking off-the-record, to use the word "plan" when discussing long-term population growth and migration policy. This aversion to "planning" – perhaps a fear of being labeled "socialist" – masks a deeper issue: a lack of coherent, long-term strategy. The current system, particularly the "demand-driven visas" introduced decades ago, has allowed for significant population growth, often catching governments by surprise.

Who built our contemporary migration system, of which he is so critical? And who is to blame for "Big Australia"?

— AuthorThe author questions the historical responsibility for Australia's current migration system.

This "demand-driven" approach, especially for temporary skilled and student visas, bypassed the caps placed on permanent migration. As Chris F. Wright's research indicates, the Howard government saw a significant expansion in these visas. The Centre for Independent Studies' Jessica Brown noted in 2011 that this system gave the government limited control over population growth, a point that seems to have been overlooked in the current political discourse. Understanding the origins and mechanics of this system is crucial before we can effectively address the challenges and opportunities presented by immigration.

They joked that they didn't want to be accused of being socialist "planners".

— AuthorThe author notes experts' reluctance to discuss 'planning' in migration policy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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