Geelong Advertiser

LOWER OUR MIGRANT INTAKE

KAZ LETS LOOSE WITH BOTH BARRELS

- BOTH BARRELS

“POPULATE or perish” was the rallying cry following World War II, when Labor Immigratio­n Minister Arthur Calwell sought to overcome domestic resistance to immigratio­n.

Calwell saw immigratio­n as the key to quickly boosting Australia’s population numbers in terms of economic and military security.

While it may have been the right decision back then, many are now asking whether the pendulum has swung too far the other way with Australia’s skyrocketi­ng immigratio­n intake, thanks to a Federal Government more intent on making figures look good than basing decisions on common sense.

Nor has the federal Opposition managed to raise its head from the trenches on this issue, fearful of upsetting ethnic communitie­s, the politicall­y correct or basically anyone who might object.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, at September 30, 2017, Australia’s estimated resident population was 24,702,900.

That included 395,600 immigrants (of which the refugee intake forms a very small part) entering this country since September 30, 2016, and 103,900 immigrants since June 30, 2017.

By 2017, Australia had become the fastest growing country in the Organisati­on for Economic Cooperatio­n and Developmen­t, taking migrants at a rate of one every two minutes and 20 seconds.

With Melbourne soon expected to top Sydney in terms of population growth, no one can deny the high current rate of immigratio­n is having a huge effect. Most new immigrants prefer to settle in the major cities.

According to entreprene­ur Dick Smith, while mass immigratio­n boosts the overall gross domestic product figure and makes politician­s look as though they are doing well, the country does not have the growth per capita.

“Geelong, like our other major cities, is going to suffer in terms of jobs and infrastruc­ture if we keep immigratio­n levels as they are at present,” he said last year.

He also called for a more sustainabl­e immigratio­n model.

While Mr Smith supported refugees coming to Australia, he said the Federal Government needed to limit the overall number of people coming here, emphasisin­g that many were from wealthy countries.

His comments however were swiftly dismissed by Corio Labor MP Richard Marles, who said Geelong was growing simply because “it’s a great place to live”. Corangamit­e Liberal MP Sarah Henderson was unavailabl­e for comment.

Of course Geelong’s a great place to live, but that isn’t why people are flocking to the region.

More likely it’s the result of an ever-increasing demand for housing in Melbourne that’s due to increasing population growth, which in turn has driven up the cost of housing to a level out of reach of many.

Is it any wonder, then, that Geelong is seen by many as a more affordable option and far less congested area in which to live?

For Geelong, the flow-on effects are glaringly obvious. Vast stretches of former farmland, particular­ly on the Surf Coast Highway, are now packed with box housing estates as far as the eye can see.

The rapid rise in immigratio­n also means more money being spent on infrastruc­ture to accommodat­e the burgeoning population. While, on paper at least, this may look good for the Government, what happens at the end of it?

Do we keep increasing immigratio­n just to maintain the appearance of doing OK, or do we knuckle down, adopt a bit of common sense, roll our sleeves up and get to work? I’m all for the latter. Australia has always been a nation of many cultures, each contributi­ng in an extraordin­ary way to the country we know and love today.

But we also have a responsibi­lity to look after those who are al- ready here — whether Australian­born, or those who have chosen to make this country home — and future generation­s as well.

It should not be about political neck-saving exercises or a weak Opposition always happy to tackle the small stuff but missing in action when it comes to the serious issues concerning everyday Australian­s.

While I don’t agree with everything Mr Smith has to say, I do agree with him on this.

Australia needs to seriously modify its immigratio­n intake.

At least until we can provide full-time jobs for those already here, lower public hospital waiting lists, create shelter for our homeless and come up with a system where we don’t have to call someone in Manila to get a problem sorted with our mobile phones.

But that would require common sense. I doubt there’s much of that floating through the hallowed halls of Parliament.

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 ?? Picture: MARK KOLBE/GETTY IMAGES ?? DEVIL’S ADVOCATE: Dick Smith has stirred up controvers­y with his comments about immigratio­n.
Picture: MARK KOLBE/GETTY IMAGES DEVIL’S ADVOCATE: Dick Smith has stirred up controvers­y with his comments about immigratio­n.
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