Labor Abandons Its ‘Big Australia’ for Reality

With genuine housing shortages and infrastructure bottlenecks, the ‘big Australia’ concept unsurprisingly no longer enjoys the favour it might have once had.

Shoppers flock to Pitt Street Mall during Boxing Day sales in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 26, 2022. Roni Bintang/Getty Images

Commentary

One thing migrants coming to a new country cannot bring with them is a house to live in and wider roads.

And it seems the Australian Labor government is finally acknowledging this fact as it begins tightening the wing nuts on its very own immigration intake policy.

Having initially heralded a “big Australia” concept and increasing, with substantial fanfare, the immigration intake just 15 months ago, the government’s then-rhetoric is being met with wording suggesting it has been mugged by reality.

Who can forget the trumpeting of the increased intake announced 15 months ago when Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil told her fellow Australians that her policy was “a turning point in our history as momentous as the post-war ‘populate or perish’ programme that was the foundation of our post war reconstruction, nation building, and national security.”

May have sounded good at the time but like most overblown rhetoric it doesn’t keep well.

Having heralded a 35,000 increase to take effect “immediately” there is now to be a 5,000 reduction.

So in September 2022, it was up from 160,000 to 195,000 and now back down to 190,000.

But so sure of the need for an increased intake and sped-up process, the government also announced $36 million (US$24 million) to employ another 500 staff to do the much-needed processing of visa applications.

Fast forward only 15 months, languishing in the polls and appearing directionless, the government is trying to change the public mood and its perception of the government. The minimal adjustment is unlikely to engender the change in perception so desperately sought.

Let’s be clear: migrants can bring skills and wealth, amongst other positive qualities. They usually do and in the right economic times can help drive economic growth and wealth for all.

However, in other economic times, immigration intakes can help ferment community unease due to housing shortages and pressure on infrastructure. This needs to be handled sensitively and carefully.

With up to about 40 percent of the Australian population born overseas and 50 percent with a parent born overseas, it is easy to understand that Australia has relied heavily on immigrants for its development. The country’s multi-ethnic makeup is often, and rightly, celebrated.

Sydneysiders celebrate Diwali at a street festival in the suburb of Wentworthville in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 29, 2022. Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

From the First Fleet bringing a new wave of people to the Australian continent to the numerous waves of migration intake since then, there has been an Australian recognition of the need for migrants to supplement the population and enhance economic growth.

With land to explore and develop, migrants provided the much-needed labour force and entrepreneurial spirit.

180 Degree Change in Attitude

In 2023, with genuine housing shortages and infrastructure bottlenecks, the “big Australia” concept unsurprisingly no longer enjoys the favour it might have once had.

Apart from the slightly reduced numbers of the policy adjustment, which will be welcomed, there is the raising of the English language requirements for international students.

Too many examples of students being admitted to universities, let alone graduating without the most basic of English language skills demeaned our universities and educational standards.

That the government has to set the standard rather than the universities exposes the lure that overseas money had on many of these institutions at the expense of integrity and academic excellence.

Updating occupation lists to better target the short-term needs of employers is not before time. Agility and flexibility in this area is essential.

Focusing attention on “skills in demand” is another welcome move if properly administered.

Students at the University of Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia, on May 8, 2012. AAP Image/Julian Smith

So is the admission that “Australia’s migration system is not the nation-building engine it once was.”

Yes, those just quoted words were uttered by the same minister who 15 months ago was advocating a “big Australia” and had waxed lyrical that her increased intake of migrants was as “momentous” as the “nation building” intake in earlier times.

Sure, things and circumstances change but not within the space of 15 months.

The on/off approach to public policy settings damages confidence and has long-lasting deleterious impacts on the economy, let alone on planning by the private sector which continually needs to make decisions about investment, which in turn provides jobs.

Setting the policy parameters correctly in the immigration space is vital to a socially cohesive society, a healthy economy, and a credible tertiary education sector.

Cleaning up a mess is to be applauded, even if it is of your own making.

Avoiding the mess in the first place is, however, preferable.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.