Former Australian Prime Minister Albert. (photo by Australian newspaper)
Former Australian Prime Minister Albert (Tony Abbott) said Australia should significantly reduce its intake of migrants before it can better integrate into society and avoid further pressure on Australian pay standards and home prices.
Abbott hopes Australia will absorb one hundred and ten thousand migrants a year, down from one hundred and ninety thousand, according to the Australian news agency, and calls on Prime Minister Tam Po (Malcolm Turnbull) to include immigration in the next election campaign.
Speaking at Sydney College (Sydney Institute) late Tuesday, Albert told listeners that cutting immigration would help pay growth in Australia and the affordability of higher house prices.
"it`s the basic rule of the economy," Albert said, adding that an increase in the number of workers would dampen pay growth and that increased demand would spur house prices to rise. So Australia should reduce the overall number of immigrants before housing increases and migration is better integrated into society.
"to win the next general election, the [Union] government needs a principled, practical and popular policy," Albert added. He also said the cuts in immigration quotas do not require the consent of state and territorial governments, nor do they need to consult with the Senate, so they can be flexible.
It is reported that Albert`s appeal has been supported by some conservative lawmakers, including Interior Minister Duddon (Peter Dutton)., who is in charge of immigration affairs. Dutton recently said Australia`s immigration quota needs to be reviewed and criticized companies for abusing 457 temporary skilled immigrant visas to bring in workers, thereby reducing pay costs.
Australia`s net immigration last year was 183608, lower than the government`s "plan" of one hundred and ninety thousand, according to the Home Office. More than 2/3 of them are skilled immigrants, and 1/3 are in the family category. Major countries of origin include India, China and the United Kingdom. More than 1/3 of all new immigrants live in the new state.
But Albert acknowledged that cutting back on technology and family immigration would "inconvenience" some businesses.
Asked if Australia needed to adjust its immigration policy, Cabinet Secretary Coleman (Mathias Cormann) said Australia now absorbs fewer immigrants a year than it did under the former Labour government.
Coleman also said that the most important thing for Australia`s immigration policy is to attract the right people to take Australia as their home. The absorption of skilled immigrants with a good attitude will therefore contribute to Australia`s future economic development.
It is reported that Coleman himself is an immigrant. Born in Belgium, he emigrated to Australia in the mid-1990s before becoming an Australian citizen in 2000.
