Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government has hit an all-time low with the changes to its immigration policy. Sneaking through the abolition of incredibly important visa categories to people in my community—the contributory parent visa, the aged parent visa, the aged dependent relative, the remaining relative and the carer visa—will not cause just outrage in my community; it will cause considerable pain. It will cause pain for families who have been separated and for families who have looked forward to their parents being able to join them in Australia. This is an aspect of culture in many of my communities that is unbelievably important.

We have seen members opposite get up in the 90-second statements debate over the last week doing anything to avoid scrutiny of the budget, talking about anything to prevent people paying attention to the appalling acts of this government, but they will not get away with this one. The communities in my electorate, and those across Western Sydney and Melbourne, will be onto this like you will not believe. In doing this you are denying them the right to bring their parents to Australia. Only people who can afford $125,000 to bring their parents here will now be able to do it. It has been the case in Australia for some time that if you had money at the level of $125,000 you could jump the queue and go to the front. We have had people waiting 13 years to bring their parents here and they are still trying to do it. Now with these changes it will not be possible. You are breaking families and you are breaking the hearts of my community.