Daniel Mulino (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I attended CRC in St Albans for a chat and a grilling by some of the student leaders. I was struck by the story of one of the student leaders. He was born in Iraq, and he and his family spent four years in a refugee camp in Jordan before being granted visas. He came to Australia without a word of English, but in four short years he has already made a mark, like so many migrants before him. He is now the year 9 social justice captain. He is studying maths and science, aspires to become a police officer and will no doubt continue to contribute to this country.

On the way back to the office, I stopped at the local shopping strip to buy banh mis for the office, which has become a weekly tradition. As we tucked into the delicious lunch, I was reminded yet again of the enormous contribution of migrants and how they have enriched the lives of all of us. This is part of the reason why I welcome the increase in the ceiling of the permanent migration program to 195,000—a belated recognition of the skills shortage we face but also a return to the days in which this country valued permanent migration—extending visas; putting more money into visa processing; and relaxing work restrictions on international students. This country has a very long and storied history, with massive contributions from the migrants who have come here from all parts of the world, and I saw it that day in the student leaders who I met.