Happy Friday!
All the migration and population news of the week is below, as well as an experiment with audio. Please share.
Inquiry chair focusing on migrants staying in regions
This week I spoke to Liberal MP Julian Leeser, the chair of the Joint Standing Committee inquiry into regional migration.
His committee’s work occurs during a major period of reform in regional migration, but he doesn’t see a problem with this. He’s looking to find ways to increase the likelihood that migrants settle in regional areas into the future … and offering further incentives is on the table.
Have a listen using the controls at the top of this email. You should also be able to subscribe to receive future audio from the Friday Migration Memo in your podcast app.
On Saturday, Perth and the Gold Coast were designated as regional cities for the purposes of the new regional visas. That means international graduates there will get access to one extra year on their post-study visa (compared to two for those in regional areas). The extra year is important for Western Australia. Here’s the take from SBS, and here’s the SMH/Age’s. Population Minister Alan Tudge spoke to Perth radio.
The Government provided a handy summary highlighting the difference applying to post-study work visas:
People of Australia
The ABC focused on migration in its Australia Talks series this week. Residents of Box Hill in Victoria, dubbed ‘mini-Shanghai’, shared their views about multicultural life.
Migrants with good qualifications and experience working as bus drivers were interviewed. A separate story looked at challenges for migrants.
And Annabel Crabb explored the country Australians most want to move to (New Zealand). That last story has been the fifth most popular on the ABC website in the past month.
What else happened
Policy
Eryk Bagshaw from the SMH/Age reported of difficulties and delays faced by Chinese migrants seeking Australian citizenship.
Abul Rizvi wondered whether regional visas could meet the Government’s targets once the backlog has been processed.
But what of the year beyond 2019-20 when the Government does not have a large backlog from older regional visas to rely on? Can the two new regional visas generate sufficient demand to enable the Prime Minister to keep crowing?
His comments, arguing the Government is in “full panic mode”, also anchored a piece by SBS.
Helen Davidson at The Guardian reported of support for a resolution at the Qantas AGM around ending involuntary transportation of immigration detainees. The SMH/Age focused on the request from Qantas chairman Richard Goyder to activists to stop using the company as a proxy to attack the government's immigration policies.
Helen also covered the Administrative Appeals Tribunal annual report:
The administrative appeals tribunal (AAT) received, finalised and was left with the highest number of applications on record last year. However its annual report, released on Wednesday, revealed it is not keeping pace with the growing number of cases, or with the clearance targets set by the federal budget.
Five foreign citizens are set to be deported as part of the Australian Border Force’s Operation Battenrun targeting foreign worker exploitation. The group is reported to be made up of three Chinese and two Malaysian nationals.
SBS Dateline covered an Italian far-right politician who “admires” Australia's policies on border protection.
The Herald Sun is now reporting ($) of the Shergold report delays.
The SMH/Age and The Australian covered ($) a new report promoting the economic potential of migration:
Better matching the skills of qualified migrants to suitable jobs could increase their productivity and deliver a multi-billion-dollar boost to the economy. A report to be released on Friday has assessed the contribution that 6.2 million foreign-born workers make to Australia’s social and economic development.
Henry Sherrell called for change to Australia’s approach to irregular people movement in the Lowy Interpreter:
It may seem as if Australia has got it made regarding irregular movement of people. Yet the status quo remains fragile and costly, and without greater engagement and contribution, cannot be sustained indefinitely.
And he backed it up by addressing the horticulture labour shortage “myth” at Devpolicy.
People
Hundred of athletes and officials who “did a runner” after last year’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games are appealing to stay in Australia after their refugee claims were rejected, reported the Courier Mail ($). SBS followed the story.
An Australian Hells Angels gang member who is allegedly wanted on drug charges in Western Australia has been arrested in Thailand and is set to be deported.
ABC reported of a Geelong family facing deportation from Australia due to their son's disability.
Population
Julian Bolleter from UWA’s Australian Urban Design Research Centre offered his perspective in The Conversation on possible population growth for Australia’s north.
Craig Butt and Nigel Gladstone form the SMH/Age looked at new ABS life expectancy figures:
Victorians are set to live longer than their neighbours in New South Wales. Queenslanders will likely celebrate more birthdays than Tasmanians. And those who live on Sydney's north shore will probably live longer than everyone else.
The world
Dr Clayton Chin from the University of Melbourne explored why immigration wasn’t an issue in Canada’s election:
Canadian major parties have more effectively delegitimised their far right on the immigration issue, while their Australian counterparts are in damage control mode: favouring bipartisan silence on immigration issues in order to give less fuel to far-right politics.
If you’ve made it this far and haven’t subscribed yet, here’s your chance:
Catch you next week.
Jack
