Australia cuts annual immigrant cap, puts key cities off-limits to some

Good stuff. A vote for One Nation would be even better though.

Good idea encouraging them to move around the country. Many pro-immigration people are always saying how big and empty the country is so surely there's plenty of room for them, somehow missing the point that everyone is going to end up in the major cities and just increase congestion and rental rates.

Smart move! Reasonable.

It's both good and bad. Australia is similar to Japan in the sense that most people live in and move to the cities because of jobs and infrastructure. This leaves a lot of the rural areas struggling to keep an economy (similar to Japan). An influx of immigrants to rural areas will only increase the amount of people on welfare because they will not be able to get work in rural areas. In my opinion, Australia needs to stop open immigration and only allow people who have jobs to immigrate. Similar to what japan is doing with the interns program. The Australian government needs to set up employment and training programs for these immigrants.

Not criticizing the move as any nation should be free to set their own limits on immigration. But is rising voter frustration over house prices and congestion solely a result of immigration? Doesn't speculative buying play a big role in prices and rents, including overseas buyers who use the properties as investments? What about Airbnb? And what of internal migration? All that said, there's nothing wrong with seeking to limit your population. God knows many cities could benefit from taking steps to stem growth or at least sprawl.

15% is really just window dressing when there's still over 150,000 new people arriving every year. Typical government looking like it's doing something while avoiding any action of substance. Living in Melbourne for a few years 2007-14, it was easy to see the rising congestion on the roads, public transport, schools and hospitals, plus the explosion of housing and medium-high density apartments. But governments at all levels couldn't keep up. And housing and rental prices, while cooling a bit recently, are at levels that look down at Jack's beanstalk.

What's more, while Australia is geographically enormous, there's not really much space that's comfortably inhabitable with reliable water supplies. And with energy being some of the most expensive in the world despite the country's bountiful fuel resources, it is becoming less economical and competitive for industry - so where are all these people going to work? There's not a huge amount of employment available in regional areas that already have high unemployment rates, directing migrants into these areas is just shuffling chairs unless they are able to start business that can employ local people (not additional new migrants). That should be a prerequisite for migrating - no more bringing in people to do jobs local people can already do, unless there's a demonstrable skills shortage and a watertight system for managing it so there are no more hairdressers, accountants and the like gaining residency.

Yet I'd be surprised if there's a genuine regional skills shortage as opposed to Australians already there who don't want to move from the cities to the country. Sometimes you can't really blame them and you can't force them to move (this isn't Japan we're talking about!), but regional cities actually have a pretty decent standard of living - lots of good schools, hospitals, little traffic, sometimes nice beaches nearby. Also, the people are generally a bit more laid back in my experience. Governments, despite the usual lip service, basically ignore regional and country areas because the population density is pretty low and there are few voters out there for them to bribe with hollow promises to the same scale as in the big cities.

With an election coming up, there's not a lot of hope for the Liberals staying in government, but I lament for my home country if people are naive enough to believe that Labor will be any better.

I find it disrespectful that on the day that Christchurch buries its murdered victims of race terrorism, people positively discuss Australia's sad right wing manifesto and its persecution of immigrants and refugees. Australia - a country of western immigrants who forgot that they are immigrants just because they are white. A country of western immigrants who committed crimes against the native Aborigines. And because the white western immigrants messed up the economy they get to ban those of brown colour or Islamic religion. Modern Australia was formed of white refugees...

You obviously dont know much about australian history or formation.

Well done Australia, in fact curb it to zero except skilled and pre placed rural workers.

If that is what it takes to keep peace and harmony in a country then I won’t argue....

Found this on an Australian site:

Australian society values respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual, freedom of religion, commitment to the rule of law, Parliamentary democracy, equality of men and women and a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces mutual respect, tolerance, fair play and compassion for those in need...

Unless you're a refugee or immigrant... in which case you can bugger off to the Outback...that's if we let you in

Yes exactly.. it refers specifically to Australian nationals , not anyone else.

The irony of a white government limiting immigration to land they stole from the indigenous people seems to go unnoticed by most posters here.

Thunderbird2Today  04:57 pm JST

Found this on an Australian site:

*Australian society values respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual, freedom of religion, commitment to the rule of law, Parliamentary democracy, equality of men and women and a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces mutual respect, tolerance, fair play and compassion for those in need...*

Unless you're a refugee or immigrant... in which case you can bugger off to the Outback...that's if we let you in

Thunder - a few classic misconceptions in your comment.

Firstly no-one is being "buggered off" to the Outback as you put it. The ever sprawling metropolises of Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and the Goldcosat have been targeted as they are on this unsustainable course resulting in significant environmental, social, infra-structue & economic pressures. Outside of these areas you have many, many places of considerable size, attractiveness, opportunity with far less constricted lifestyles offered by the megas. Adelaide, Hobart, Townsville, Newcastle, Geelong, Ballarat, Darwin, Cairns Albury/Wodonga are all prosperous centers just to name a few off the top of my head, and there are plenty more on a smaller scale. This notion of shunting bods off to the desert is simply ignorant or scaremongering. And they only have to stay for 3 years. Wow. What an injustice. You know. Fancy being forced to live in Adelaide for example  (consistently in the top 10 most liveable cities world wide).  The horror.

And secondly you seem to infer that such people will not be treated with respect or tolerance, fair play or compassion etc.

NO nation is perfect that's for sure, but the fact that Australia has been chosen by citizens from all over the world to immigrate to, making it arguably the No1 multi-cultural country in the world, certainly gives me the impression that something must be right.

If you live in a foreign country - esp one suffering civil strife, lack of opportunity etc, then you could do seriously worse than choosing Australia as your destination to settle and give your kids a chance for brighter prospects in the 21st C.

Chip Star - what would be the solution then to your statement. Return All land to the Indigenous people and have an open door - any one in - immigration policy. ??? I'm asking in all seriousness. What could be done to addresss the situation as you see it? Thank you.

But no issue for 378,000 FEE-PAYING foreign students to add to the city congestion. It's the 30,000 non-fee paying immigrants who are causing problems....

The irony of a white government limiting immigration to land they stole from the indigenous people seems to go unnoticed by most posters here.

Fair point, but the government does have to govern in the interests of the people living there now, which of course includes the indigenous population. Whether they do this well is another matter.

It seems a majority of Australians support cuts to immigration numbers according to polls.

Metaphorical (and maybe someday physical) walls going up all over the world.

this announcement is about reduced ( not totally zero ) immigration, so that it would be more sustainable and letting the infrastructure to keep up. and i would assume the word immigration covers all colors ? so what is the fuss all about ?

The irony of a white government limiting immigration to land they stole from the indigenous people seems to go unnoticed by most posters here.

Oh brother.

Its not fair that they don't teach Australian Prime Ministers to talk proper, I thought T Abbott was bad till I tried to read this by S Morrison:"

My great frustration is that, in addressing these issues of population and immigration programs, these debates often get hijacked by those of competing views who seek to exploit them for other causes," Morrison added. "I reject all of that absolutely."

Makes no sense at all, let the people eat coal !

Fair point

Agreed.

, but the government does have to govern in the interests of the people living there now, which of course includes the indigenous population. Whether they do this well is another matter. 

It seems a majority of Australians support cuts to immigration numbers according to polls.

Agreed, which is why I am incapable of being opposed to this move.

Good stuff. A vote for One Nation would be even better though.

Promoting extreme white nationalism in the aftermath of Christchurch?

Ugh.

> Promoting extreme white nationalism in the aftermath of Christchurch?

Ugh.

I hope Ugh means foul and repugnant mixed with nauseating.

I suppose any other country BUT Japan would be lauded for doing what it needs to protect its borders and country.

I suppose any other country BUT Japan would be lauded for doing what it needs to protect its borders and country.

Australia is delivering an approximate immigration visa of about 0.7% of its population every year and if I am not mistaking they can get the Australian passport after 5 years.

How can you compare with Japan that has a mere 1.5% or so foreigners with an extremely tough naturalisation process.

Comparing bananas with apples makes no sense.

Keep all "Immigrants" out and let them develop their own Country!

I suppose any other country BUT Japan would be lauded for doing what it needs to protect its borders and country.

I think you mean any other country but Japan and the United States...

"I suppose any other country BUT Japan would be lauded for doing what it needs to protect its borders and country."

Exactly; and love to see them squirming, trying to find parallels between the two: "Australia is like Japan, bla, bla, bla", lauding controls they normally lambast Japan for; incredible!!

Anyway, no surprises here; Australia was founded by racists, still being manned by racists!

Keep all "Immigrants" out and let them develop their own Country!

Says the Canadian who presumably lives here in Japan.

Makes all businesses provide housing allowance pegged to local CPI so workers can live near where they work.

Promoting extreme white nationalism in the aftermath of Christchurch?

You seem to be confusing a political party, One Nation, with the Ku Klux Klan.

I suppose any other country BUT Japan would be lauded for doing what it needs to protect its borders and country.

Most of us don't care how many immigrants are let in--we care about how they're treated once admitted. And the record here is pretty grim. So, yes, if a nation is incapable of providing opportunities, a hospitable climate and legal protections for immigrants, then better not to accept them at all.

I've never been to Australia so I don't presume to know people's attitudes there. Sadly, this doesn't prevent many keen observers of the US or Japan from commenting here. The only polling included is what Sydney residents think about immigration. Are national figures the same? If so, then the PM is only doing the bidding of his constituents, which is how things should work. Only 31 percent of Americas want to decrease legal immigration. The data is Japan is mixed but I haven't seen much enthusiasm about the LDP's latest immigration bill.

A few good facts here...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-21/australian-immigration-what-do-the-numbers-tell-us/10919970

But don't let the facts get in the way of a good uninformed rant.

You seem to be confusing a political party, One Nation, with the Ku Klux Klan.

I think not. Not only are Muslims the target of their bigotry, but Jewish people, too.

In late 2004, an article published in the official newspaper of the Queensland division of the One Nation party, which alleged Jews are ruling the West via pornography and internet censorship, was found to have contravened the Racial Discrimination Act. The article and accompanying cartoon, which accused Jews of being the “world’s chief purveyors of filth, degradation and decadence” were deemed unlawful by the Federal Court.

https://www.jewishnews.net.au/hansons-unwelcome-return-parliament/54888