During the last Australia Day so-called celebrations we again had the spectacle of One Nation, proxy neo-Nazis and Nationals all using anti-immigration as a mantra – the hot-button political issue wielded by far right parties in France, Germany, the UK and elsewhere in Europe.
The ‘progressive’ side of politics including our government generally avoids mentioning or initiating discussion about immigration policies and reacts defensively when raised. Albanese’s response is to repeat motherhood mantras about ‘social cohesion’ and the miracle of multicultural Australia.
I reckon that approach is dead wrong and leaves a vacuum which is gleefully filled by populist/nationalist voices appealing to the fears and concerns of ordinary voters, who are deserting the old centrist political parties en masse. People have noticed that Australia received record numbers of migrants post-covid onwards, without public consultation.
Our political leaders must take the initiative to proactively and regularly inform voting punters about every aspect of our immigration policies, including proposed target numbers of migrants for the coming year, in all categories.
Federal parliament should have a robust debate, with every voice heard in a proper forum, and even facts, or at least research data, introduced. What do we know about how immigration affects employment, the housing shortage, universities, infrastructure and environment? For example, SA Premier Malinauskas said yesterday that immigration is essential for the construction industry, to overcome the housing problem, a claim that could be tested. And then Federal parliament could even vote on key immigration policy settings.
Trying to ignore that plenty of folk are concerned about immigration, and leaving the public domain open to demagogues and manipulatory disinformation, is only exacerbating the political fracturing of middle Australia, and elsewhere in the world.
KOOKYNIE COURIER 