Michael Forshaw (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy President. I am surprised at that point of order. I had been speaking for 50-odd seconds and I drew attention to the fact that Senator Barnett could not even spend five minutes on the issue. I intend to spend the next four minutes on the issue and I think I am entitled to respond to Senator Barnett’s failure to deal with the issue for the full period of time. What I was going on to say was this: concerning migration and the recent announcement by the government, for many years immigration was treated as a bipartisan issue. That stopped with former Prime Minister Howard many years ago and the tradition of bipartisanship has not continued since that time. We saw what happened with issues relating to boat people and with the Tampa and so on. I wish we could get back to a situation where immigration was treated on a bipartisan basis, because we know a couple of important things. Firstly, there is agreement around the country and I believe across the political divide that an orderly immigration program is vital to our economic future. It is clear that in times of economic stress particularly and in times of economic growth and prosperity we should always have regard to our immigration intake. That is understood to be the case particularly for skilled migration because two factors are in play. One is: what are the demands of our labour force for skilled professional people to ensure that our country continues to grow and prosper? Also: what are the effects upon the Australian population and upon workers in Australia in an economic downturn where you continue to have an immigration program?

This government has recognised that in the current circumstances it is necessary to reduce the intake for this year’s permanent skilled migration program by 14 per cent. I found it interesting that Senator Barnett referred to the fact that the opposition asked questions of the government back in October—I think that is what he said—during supplementary estimates and again during additional estimates in February this year. He was critical of the government. Now the government has given him an answer. We have announced the revised figures for this year’s skilled migration intake and Senator Barnett, having got that answer in the last couple of days, now criticises the government for taking this decision—yet he wanted to criticise the government for not taking the decision back in October or February.

The economic circumstances have changed dramatically since September last year—one of the biggest changes in economic circumstances in the history of the modern world. When you look at an issue like this you have to make decisions with due consideration and that is what this government has done. I make a further point that you have to look at the total package of immigration programs. We note that the intake under the 457 program has been 30 per cent lower in the last couple of months.