Migrants good for the economy

Doesn't justify a big population Australia. There is a lot more to life than $$$$.,

Comment 1 of 107

ok, so by 2038 we have 2 million?? And then what? It can only speed up after that! I am shocked and astounded that we - especially our business and community leaders - fail to make the connection with a sustainable future. Is growth the only strategy for maintaining a healthy economy? Then we are doomed...

Comment 2 of 107

Of course they would be for a bigger Australia, more people = more money... greedy.

Comment 3 of 107

I think it is quite true. When I first came here, I was paying full taxes, not receiving any social or medical benefits and was paying excessive amounts on my health insurance. Now that I am a citizen, it all has eased up a bit though I still feel I pay a lot of taxes and take out too many insurances (health, life, income protection) as we do not have any family here to help us, if we were in need. I think it also highlights the fact that immigrants are not ASYLUM Seekers which the society in general takes every immigrant to be. Not all immigrants are a burden on Australia!

Comment 4 of 107

And are only required by the large corporations to maintain their profit growth, plus for government and business to shirk their responsibility in training those that already live here!

Comment 5 of 107

what a joke... so all those cab drivers and car washers make $60K a year to do they????

Comment 6 of 107

Typical bank attitude - more money means water etc. doesnt matter.

Comment 7 of 107

How will a larger population be able to be fed, educated and provide medical services we are struggling at the moment!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment 8 of 107

Greed and short term thinking!

Comment 9 of 107

DRB has picked up the point exactly - agree with you wholeheartedly. Unfortunately for Banks (for whom the report was written / funded!) money is their sole focus - if they tell you differently, they are lying. Ex-Banker - now working for a Credit Union.

Comment 10 of 107

I would rather have the migrants in Australia than the bogans that seem to be taking over this great country.

Comment 11 of 107

A bigger Australia means increased pressure on resources, including the must haves such as water and food. It also means increased pressure on housing and infrastructure, of which there is already a major shortage. When will business learn that continued growth is not sustainable!!!

Comment 12 of 107

Yep.... just trust the banks.... let anyone in, buy up all our farms and businesses.... Australians will be second class citizens in their own country.... just like the UK..!

Comment 13 of 107

Hmmm. Some mighty big generalisations here. Firstly education doesn't necessarily translate to more money or even recognition of those qualifications. A lot of the taxi drivers and car wash attendents are quite highly qualified, but it is an absurd generalisation to say that they are all earning more money because of it. Banks always see extra people as extra money for them.

Comment 14 of 107

Great if you want Australia to become an Islamic Asian republic.

Comment 15 of 107

how funny is the poll attached to this article 'are migrants smarter'. well, based on the absurd comments i see every day on this very website, i would suggest that yes, the average migrant would indeed be smarter than the average aussie.

Comment 16 of 107

How does more money equate to more water? Let us get some informed comment from scientists that know. My quality of life has plummeted. Do people remember actually having clean cars and windows?

Comment 17 of 107

What a load of bollocks. This is about greed and nothing more.

Comment 18 of 107

What a load of BS. They got this result because they don't split up the types of migrants. They need to split up and look at Western Migrants value add to the economy Vs non-western migrants value add just like the Productivity Comission equivalent did in the netherlands. Then, just like that report, you will find that non-western migrants are actually a huge net drain to the taxpayer and economy for a number of reasons - and these are most of the migrants we're taking in! BankSA doesn't have a vested interest in having more customers do they? Of course not!

Comment 19 of 107

Australia is at it's maximum sustainable population now!

Comment 20 of 107

i agree D. Lets look at those on social security, high birth rates and percentage involved in violent crime and jail system, the other side of the coin

Comment 21 of 107

To suggest this without catergorising the migrants is misleading. Highly skilled migrants from where ever they come with sound English skills will add to our economy but non skilled non English speaking ones are a drain.Ask the main reason why British Migrants want to come to Australia, it is not the weather anymore.

Comment 22 of 107

Sorry we are all full up. Australia cannot sustain them so you will have to get your profits by getting greater market share.

Comment 23 of 107

VOTE ONE for a sustainable australia that is culturally diverse.

Comment 24 of 107

My daughter is currently studying a bachelor of economics at university and cannot find a job anywhere for an assistant accountant or a bookkeeper. So tell me where do they get their information from. I agree totally with Robert of Morphettvale. We should put up the full sign.

Comment 25 of 107

We need migrants that come into Australia the correct way! Applying first rather than landing on our soil and expecting everything.... this is draining Australia not making it a better place. Most importantly they need to speak English and adapt to our way of life.

Comment 26 of 107

It is no wonder this country is in such a horrible state when you have these sort of people in high places. Enough now thank you & stop the boats.

Comment 27 of 107

I came to Australia to complete my Degree and paid all university fee upfront $20k per year from Asia. The local students only paid 1/3 of my university fees and also get allowance from the Government. All of us now graduated but not all of them can get a job (not becuase migrants took the jobs - becuase they aren't looking for jobs hard enough as the Gov pays for their livings while they are unemployed!) For me, I paid $15k tax this year and receive NO benefits from the Gov, I can't receive any allowance from the Gov for the first 2 yrs after I receive my PR. All I want to say is most migrants esp students bring a lot of money, skills to this country and we do not enjoy lots of benefits! We have been quitely contributing to this country.

Comment 28 of 107

There is no such thing as migrants from West or Asia. People that decide to uprrot themselves and start new life in a new country ar those with a GO IN THEMSELVES, ACHIEVERS. We, the migrants from the 1040/50/60 made great contribution to the drab and dreary POM influenced Australian society. WE helped improve every fascet of life in this great continet of ours. The mix was/is great tha's why Australia is second to none in the world. Yes we do have some red necks but they are minuscule minority like those in the Adelaide hills!!!!!!!

Comment 29 of 107

I think that Migrants are taking away all our jobs!!! By the sounds of it anyway, the more of these 'highly skilled people' that come to this country are taking jobs away from local Australian's. That's not good for Australian's! Also nice comment D, if a survey is going to be done conduct it honestly without the BS.

Comment 30 of 107

what a crock!

Comment 31 of 107

ever heard of a loaded article? well this is it, and y'all fell for it hook, line and sinker. the photo is on an angle to make australia look overcrowded and the article is a series of obvious facts piled together to incite some comments; its not as though a national press conference was just convened and this was the outcome. Robert from morphett vale - your statement is incorrect on so many levels and on the premise of it.....should we stop having children now becuase its at its maximum sustainable level? The comments are just shameful and prove the statement that you do not need to be intelligent to use a computer.

Comment 32 of 107

Migrants just want to ban Anzac Day blah blah and force Kangaroos to wear burqas blah blah moan.

Comment 33 of 107

let the third word migrants in the first world ones wount come

Comment 34 of 107

If it weren't for Asian doctors, nurses, accountants and engineers this country would be worse off. The smart Asian professional is helping to fund the growing numbers of Aussie bogans who refuse to work and live off social security.

Comment 35 of 107

What the BANKSA fails to tell you is the real reason they need migrants. They need them to accelerate the demand for housing thus inflating house prices to further assist the unleveraing from the residential mortgage risk the bank now sees as one almighty stuff-up.

Comment 36 of 107

And housing becomes even more expensive than the already ridiculous levels they are at. And that is good for our children? How? Of course banks and big business want more people, its a lazy way to increase business, damn all the other consequences though. The bank CEO's are doing it tough you know!!

Comment 37 of 107

Please tell me you are kidding, we keep bringing in more and more people, the unemployment rate keeps growing higher. Please don't me this bollocks !! I work in Job Network and see it all. Skilled migrants, My left foot, if they are skilled, why are sooooo many collecting taxpayer funded CENTRELINK BENEFITS. Toughen up the social security system and start training our own people. These Australian Taxpayer funded Centrelink recipients need to be made to get of their lazy backsides and be skilled, working members of society. before all you doo gooders get your knickers in a knot, yes, there are plenty of jobs out there of all descriptions, and i know first hand, the vast MAJORITY of Newstart recipients are more than able to work and be productive.

Comment 38 of 107

Population growth is all one big, slow, but sure, Ponzi scheme. One day we will run out of resources and it will come down like a house of cards. It is a shame though that others are against migration purely based on race issues.

Comment 39 of 107

China have already broken the back of our future farm lands by purchasing prime farming areas through corporations. It's not that the Farmers sold out on us it's because the Australian Government got greedy to reduce debt. That's this government and the old one. Good on ya's mates !. My taxes still continue to be drained though into the detention centres for more bloody immigrants. And don't start me on our culture. If they don't like it pissoff and make your own country better if the culture is soo good !.

Comment 40 of 107

Do your homework...MOst refugees make a real go of it here... our problem with the economy is that we pay too many people to be on welfare... there is a huge underclass of European and Anglo people who wont work, are too drugged or alcoholic, too unfit, too unskilled, etc, to even contribute let alone generate wealth. I agree it is not all about making wealth... but it is not about being a drain on others all of your life.......

Comment 41 of 107

Its only the rich that benefit from high immigration, more consumers for their products, more and cheaper labour ,their property investments go up in value, while ordinary Australians are disadvantaged by it.

Comment 42 of 107

D - good idea. Let's look at the damage all those migrants do to the country. You'll find that it's the white anglos who did most of the damage here, so let's start by sending you back!

Comment 43 of 107

Big business is desperate to keep migration levels high. They don't care about the environment or living standards for the average Australian. They can fly off to the South of France or Italy or some tropical paradise when things get too bad here. They should never have created a Nobel prize for economics - some of these growth forever economic theories are more like a religious cult than a science.

Comment 44 of 107

'And also borrow money from banks.....' they forgot to include. Not satisfied with gauging the current population with higher interest rates than the RBA set, charging exhorbitant fees for all transactions, paying their CEO's disgusting bonuses - they want more. Typical of businesses to line their own pockets and stuff everyone else, can't wait for Peter Vaughn from Business SA to jump in with his pro-population support. Perhaps if Australian banks didn't charge higher interest rates on home loans than banks in other countries and State governments stopped pushing families to the brink with taxes, levies, fees and duties, they may be able to afford to have more children.

Comment 45 of 107

The truth if you dare.. 1. ageing population, will blast out the health care budget, very very expensive 2. dsymal failure of education system, produces dumbed down unqualified bogans 3. the bogans will NOT take the jobs on offer, prefering the dole 4. massive need for taxes, good workers and people who want to get on in life, achieve things NOT sit down the pub or smoke dope all day 5. SA needs these people and needs to compete to get them, buy being less racists, more open and paying more wages. 6. If you don't like it DONT go to hospital, thats where the taxes the immigrants pay will go.. GROW UP SA and Get a govt NOT committed to generating dumbed down bogans

Comment 46 of 107

Who put the "Are they smarter" vote on this story? Nowhere in the story does it mention "smarter". Maybe we could vote on "Are migrants smarter than journalists"?

Comment 47 of 107

Another Ponzi scheme

Comment 48 of 107

I agree with D about the common error of grouping data in research and not looking at the constituent groupings within it. In many ways, this research is merely a report card on the filters applied in the immigration process and some basic arithmetic. Well big deal. Let’s look at some of the underlying impacts. There are added incentives for migrants to come to South Australia. Interestingly, in the last 5 positions advertised in my field, the jobs have been awarded to migrants in 4 out of the 5, even though there have been large and appropriate fields of candidates. Better educated ? No. More experienced? No. The astute observer might reflect there is an informal policy to give the nod to the newcomers, the make SA seem attractive, to give them a break and bring in some new blood. It doesn’t happen when you go to the UK. Now many unemployed or under-employed locals don’t show on the unemployment rate because they are ineligible, but they certainly are showing up in lowering those median income statistics for the locals. It is just as relevant how decisions are made and why research is done, as to what can be read into the results.

Comment 49 of 107

Greedy bankers-of course, unless sharia law comes into focus.We have to bear in mind also that the pollies will be loving this...more taxes, more revenue, more pollies wage rises.Didn't they just give them selves 30%? I can see the need for skilled migrants, for sure, but for gods sake, stop the boats!I agree with Jim, but i also have a strong feeling that in 2039, Australia will be overrun by the Islamic people, bringing the same crap here as what made them flee their own countries in the first place.Yes folks, we can all look forward to a 2nd rate Australia and way of life.

Comment 50 of 107

The future of the country decided by accountants.

Comment 51 of 107

If migrants are smarter why do most end up menial jobs instead of work using their degrees? Yes thye may have degrees but they are not employed using them.

Comment 52 of 107

I think it is a cheek that a bank can say things like this, they are there to make money, full stop, and they are all for importing consumers! look at the other countries that are over run with refugees ect, they are going bankrupt, there needs to be a lot more thought into this invasion, before we follow suit, start training our youngsters, they are let down so often, many want a trade and have no chance because the government would rather spend up importing labour and are therefore creating more dole recipients, give our youth ago instead and stop allowing our country to be sold from under us!

Comment 53 of 107

So more taxes compensates for lack of water and infrastructure. In other words money then just converts to water. You are just a bunch of idiots.

Comment 54 of 107

Can I purchase a few containers, put them in my back yard and charge migrants $175 a pop. So where are all these people going to live may I ask. You just have to look at Sydney to see how much rents have gone up and the desperate measures people take to secure reasonably priced accommodation.

Comment 55 of 107

Those who think that Australia cannot sustain more people are plain blind to the facts. Australia is probably the most wasteful society on earth, with single-storey poorly built and hardly insulated homes with no basements, huge land consumption, enormous cars and an incredibly stupid water mismanagement. People water their useless front lawns in the middle of the day in broad sunlight and complain there is no water. Education? The list is endless. Energy wastage is so extreme and obscene you would probably get jailed for it if you were in Europe. Nowhere are people so obsessed with showing off sparkling, ridiculously clean cars as in Australia. If you want to see how "quality of life plummets", take a look at other, genuinely crowded countries. Meanwhile, most skilled migrants are bringing common sense, hard work and thrift to this beautiful country - not spiralling debt and the typical "I want it all now" mentality that's ruining this country. I'm convinced the report is correct!

Comment 56 of 107

We need better average education? Then allow more university places to be taken by residents, rather than selling them to the highest OS bidder for a start. Then maybe more locals would be 'qualified' (on paper) enough to fill these supposed jobs that are going begging. We have passed the balance point here now, each new addition to the population does not equate to one new job. It just adds pressure to an already struggling country resource-wise. Back in the 50s/60s when migrants "built this country" it was because there were insufficient numbers to fill vacant positions full stop, not because there were insufficient so called skilled people.

Comment 57 of 107

Someone like a v. wealthy property developer, who has a vested interest in population growth because it drives up real estate prices and makes him even wealthier, is probably paying an individual or individuals within Access Economics to come up with this kind of crap. The Productivity Commission did a REAL study on this a few years ago and found there was only the tiniest of tiny benefits to national per capita income from doubling immigration - about $3 a week for the average worker - and they said they couldn't include any of the costs of environmental damage, traffic congestion, etc. Chris Access should hang its head in shame for coming up with such BS. It goes to show what a totally bankrupt discipline economics can be - most economists play the tune of the highest bidder. They're always bleating about an "ageing Australia" but would rather get overseas taxpayers to educate someone then import them at age 35 than get a new person at age zero and educate them. The world has gone totally crazy.

Comment 58 of 107

There isn't enough water to sustain more people, we already have restrictions now and these are only going to get worse. So no bigger is not better, it will only result in the destruction of the environment. When that happens climate change will worsen and our economic decline will begin in earnest. Continue down this path and it will be the next big extinction event. Just because we are at the top of the food chain does not mean we can't go the way of the dinosaur, particulary if we are so arrogant and fail to see all the warning signs.

Comment 59 of 107

Predictable comments from australias bogan community. I find it interesting that nobody says a dickie bird when some local family appears in the paper with news of their 10th, 13th or 15th child creating a massive drain on the public purse via family benifits et al....but of cours, they are ORSTRAYUNS aren't they? Yet another generation of lazy (Aussies call it "laid back" but you don't fool me) tax dodging bludgers if you ask me. You know the real reason you hate immigrants don't you? It's because they stick their heads down and their backsides up and they WORK, spell it..W. O. R. K. work!!!! Pathetic little country this is.

Comment 60 of 107

This country was built by UNSKILLED migrants -their kids went to uni and became our PROFESSIONALS. Professional migrants who can't communicate are useless as nobody will employ them except as cab drivers and shopkeepers- go to Sydney and see what I mean. this country can do with more UNSKILLED/SEMI SKILLED migrants ONLY

Comment 61 of 107

Explain to me how higher taxes fixes a lack of water. Water is a finite resource. Maybe these oxygen thieves should come out into the sunlight & look around.

Comment 62 of 107

Bank SA the renamed Bank of SA that failed in the early ninties, yeah I'd trust them, NOT! ! ! ! !

Comment 63 of 107

Migrants are the best thing that has happened to Australia since 1788. The worst thing is whingers and losers who blame others because they're at the losing end of capitalism. The people that didn't try. The Italians, Greeks, Balts, Viets, Chinese and now the Iraqis and Afgans are rolling up there sleeves and getting stuck in to the hard yakka - doing jobs these soft posters won't do. Bring more of these people onshore and kick out the whiners.

Comment 64 of 107

New migrants should pay more taxes than Australians for the privilege of migrating to this great country. If their skill levels are superior like BankSA says then they should be able to handle it and appreciate a country made great by Australians. Assimilating to our culture and eventually they can be called Australian.

Comment 65 of 107

Let all the migrants in - the average IQ in "boganville" Australia must surely rise!

Comment 66 of 107

Australia is already over populated to an unsustainable level. Look at the water shortages all over eastern and southern Australia. The Pollies and business turn a blind eye as they greed and business model is based on perpetual growth. This is unsustainable and akin to bacteria in a lab dish eventually they consume all the resources and the population crashes. we should be aiming for Zero population growth and even a slight decline to a sustainable level while we work on a sustainable business model for the country. As keep in mind we target skilled migrants so the bit about IQ is obvious.

Comment 67 of 107

What's the point benefitting the economy if it makes our way of life untenable? The problem with the argument about needing to increase population, is that it continues to repeat. We have to learn to live with a static level of population, and the sooner the better.

Comment 68 of 107

In Australia we like the wide open spaces this will go if we let more people into the country.We will get more high rise housing ,more pollution more traffic jams and Australia will turn into a country similar to the counties these migrants are leaving from.We will also lose our culture and identity.Alot of migrants down not fit in with the rest of the community they stick only with there own.It would be a disaster.By the way the ones I work with do not work hard,do not speak English and do not belong.

Comment 69 of 107

Is Bank SA planning on entering another market, perhaps food.How do they propose to feed all these migrants,within a decade most of the food grown will be exported to China to feed their hoardes, there will be little left for us.

Comment 70 of 107

How do they pay more tax than people already here unless they take the better jobs so earn more and pay more tax that way.

Comment 71 of 107

If we are bringing in skilled migrants from overseas, aren't we just stealing them from countries that desperately need them? How can they ever raise their standards if their best and brightest and whisked away by a country that is too lazy to invest in education of its own people? We're doing no favours stealing skilled migrants. Allowing in on humanitarian grounds yes, targeted pillage, no.

Comment 72 of 107

Keep Australia for the Australians of Sema4 - with comments like yours can you really blame them? And it appears from your comment that you want australia to stick with its own as well so why are you criticising them for what you are doing?

Comment 73 of 107

australia is full we dont want to be like the uk or europe we want a better way of life quality not quantity you might call me racist thats just a politicians word i know what i am and i know most aussies feel the same way dont go the way of the uk

Comment 74 of 107

I have no issues with skilled Migrants coming into this country however, SPEAK ENGLISH, DO NOT EXPECT TO BUILD YOUR MOSQUES ALL OVER THE PLACE, DON'T TAKE OVER SUBURBS etc. Put the shoe on the foot of a Muslim, for instance (could be any religion against Christianity, really)....would you like Catholics and Christians to move into your country, build beautiful churches, expect you to build a special prayer room is EVERY building available for our needs, we won't speak your language....etc. Get the picture? If you want to move here for a better life then so be it and WELCOME....but don't think you should be able to live the life you've left behind if YOU wanted to leave it. There's too much violence on our streets since immigration has grown ten fold (with no coppers to support the growth, a cr@p judicial system who won't punish people properly etc)....too many do-gooders who 'awwww' and oh, poor love these people etc. Geez, Bank SA....why don't you reduce rates and look after people in your own back yard first before eyeing off more business from elsewhere. Another reason I'll NEVER bank with you!

Comment 75 of 107

There are highly skilled & working migrants,but unfortunately they are in a minority.Take Sydney for example,the high density migrant areas are the poorest & have the highest proportion of children,Centre Link payments are tremendous.At the next election they will legally control these areas with their own reps-read the Sydney papers if you don't believe me.Take a look at the internal strife in Britain,France,Germany,Holland,etc from mainly Muslim refugees & illegal migrants,we are certainly being lead down the same disastrous path.Ban sharia law in Australia before it is too late!

Comment 76 of 107

Crap, all the banks think about is increased population means increased profits.

Comment 77 of 107

I know of several migrants working in Australia. I woild not call there work highly paid. Some of them have degrees from USA and England. They are on $42,000, not a great wage in my books. They are trained management and there company puts the pay wage down to the GFC is not over yet. Also I know of a trained nurse, $38,000 for a 42 hr week. She has been told if she not like she can always leave. I think Australian business are abusing the system as these migrants do not know all the loop holes.

Comment 78 of 107

Increasing our population needs to be done very carefully, can our country adequately cater for an influx of new migrants up and above the planned intake levels when this Labor Government its PM and others cannot and are not handling the influx of queue jumpers who are arriving by boat and other means on almost a daily basis. This ongoing problem now appears not to be on Gillards priority list as she has handballed it to Bowen and does not seem to discuss it anymore which is a major cause for concern yet not unexpected .

Comment 79 of 107

If there is $ to be made, banks will make up anything!

Comment 80 of 107

Once again Aussies show what a selfish racist bunch of people you can be. Im a migrant, I married an Aussie but I came here with a degree and have been employed since my first 6 months here. Around me I see shops and businesses staffed and owned by migrants. I go to see a Doctor - more often than not a migrant, Indian, English, all kinds.... In the surgery in the shops and in my job I see lazy feral Aussies, who think that the country owes them a living, that they are entitled to live for nothing, raising generation after generation of unemployed. Sure its not ALL Aussies, most are great people, normal people. But migrants often come and make the most of the chances they are afforded, chances they came here for that they don't have in their homelands, chances that too many Aussies take for granted and don't use.

Comment 81 of 107

Its not your country Ossies, it doesn't belong to you, its part of the world. Anyone is entitled to live here.

Comment 82 of 107

New migrants = new home loans = higher bank profits, new migrants = business loans = higher bank profits, new migrants = personal loans = higher bank profits, new migrants = migrants personal wealth = bank deposits = higher bank profits, good for the economy, perhaps, good for the banks, certainly, good for the ecological health of the country, debatable.

Comment 83 of 107

Carlos of On The Road Comment 57 makes a good point - Universities in Australia are run as businesses first and learning institutions second. This results in placing and balancing student numbers on economic grounds to ensure that the University remains commercially viable. Students from overseas (or their parents) pay more for entry into graduate programs resulting in Aussie students being displaced and the resulting 'dumbing down' of Australians. Unfortunately we dont have the same patriotic attitude of many other countries that put their own residents interests first before immigrants.

Comment 84 of 107

I am an immigrant from the UK and I came to Australia mainly because of how difficult the immigration process was. This is due to the fact that the UK is being ruined by mass immigration which has resulted in wages being driven down and house prices driven up. Funnily enough this is the perfect scenario for banks as this means they pay their employees less whilst making a larger profit from the overinflated housing market. Australia is an amazing country and I feel privileged to now call myself a citizen. Sadly not all immigrants feel like this as they come here and abuse the system offering no real benefit to the country. Please don't make the mistakes the UK has.

Comment 85 of 107

Please tell the migrants do not attempt to come as we are getting to be 3rd world.Our governments cutting public servants except the fat cats,cutting services,increase revenues from rates.Properties not affordable as Bank lending rates increases and is giving you a long rope to hang yourself.The roads congested and with hidden cameras to make you smile as they say its for your safety.Not enough habitable area in Australia except the desert as an 2nd option unless you jump queue and join the refugees.Not enough water,electricity price is shocking you.Working conditions and money wise is pittance far from the fat cats.We keep praying china is still buying from us.Please dont come as we are heading to your country ASAP and fill you in with more scary news to come.

Comment 86 of 107

In response to the phantom pen who wrote "increasing population has to be done carefully in Adelaide"... and goes on to talk about "queue jumpers" when that little slogan (a TWO worder!) has been shown repeatedly to be a myth... If there were no wars, or illegal detentions and even more illegal tortures and executions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, for starters, then the influx as he/she terms it, would reduce to a trickle. No Australian government can pass laws to decrease the numbers seeking asylum here, Mr/Ms/Miss Anonymous. These unfortunates need peace and security at home in order to stop trying to get here, wouldn't you agree?

Comment 87 of 107

Australia needs migrants (and I was born and raised here).

Comment 88 of 107

What idiot believes anything a bank says.

Comment 89 of 107

Migration is good but only quality stuff should be allowed as they really add to the economy, culture and growth of a country. Because of wrong policy to earn good money lot of fake students were invited which at last resulted in overcrowded migrants. these students are supposed to be actually there for studies not for settlement as they are not skilled migrant thus adds to nothing but a unplanned migration. Most of students who came for studies have not gone back and became residents, which was not part of migration plan thus deficiency still exists despite acute population growth resulting in scarcity of food, housing and jobs.

Comment 90 of 107

Put an end to all emigrations as Australia has enough people in it already.

Comment 91 of 107

Any economy grows only at the expense of the ecology of Earth's natural ecosystems. To support a person, food, clothing, shelter and energy supplies are needed, which come through agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining; activities which require an ecosystem somehwere to be modified in part or wholly to support that person; so the more of us there are, the more of Nature is destroyed. Since healthy ecosystems support all life on Earth we need to reverse the trend of rising populations both in Australia and globally. We are using up forests faster than they can grow, fish stocks faster than they can be replenished and have overshot the Earth's biocapacity for providing for us every year since 1986. By 21st August this year we had used up all the Earth provides in a full year. What sensible economist would advise eating into capital rather than living off interest? Yet this is what we are doing, by valuing money above all else and scraping everything we can off the surface of the Earth to turn it into money just to support more of 'us'.

Comment 92 of 107

I have to agree with this sentiment. At university the majority of my colleagues are immigrants or the children of immigrants. As an immigrant myself, I have to say that the 'aussies' choose to do trades or work in manual work because they have had it so easy since they were born. If life wasn't so easy here in Australia, I am sure many more áussies' would go to university' and become more intellectual.

Comment 93 of 107

I wish when I was younger I had the opportunity to migrate to Australia, now I am too old and am not wanted. If Australia wants to stop migration then that is fine but please don't say it is because there is no room. Here in the UK we are obliged to take in any dead beat, criminal and ne'er do well from Europe who wants to come here 'for a better life' living on benefits, taking and not giving. We really are full, housing is short, the government is making drastic cuts in all areas and the poor are becoming even more poor. Be honest, Australia wants to keep the best country in the world to itself and who can blame them. Don't talk nonsense, tell the truth...Australia is for Australians...worse luck!!!!!

Comment 94 of 107

To those who are using emotion rather than logic to further their own argument, just do a quick search at the Immigration department's own website. The top two source countries for migrants are still the UK and New Zealand. Muslims make up roughly 3 -4 % and Asians only marginally higher. This is fact, not the racist, inaccurate nonsense that posters here seem content to dish up.

Comment 95 of 107

The more skilled migrants the more money they make at the expense of Australians who were born here and this then leads to a lower standard of living for Australians who have more right to the opportunities of Australia than foreigners do. Just my opinion every one's entitled to one.

Comment 96 of 107

For those of you receiving some form of $$ benefit from the government, try to think where the money comes from. Where would the government get funding for hospitals, pensioners, unemployed? Every year, at least 160000 migrants enter via the proper migration program. That's at least $300 Million of Visa application fees that goes to your government before any of these migrants even bought their air ticket to Australia. When migrants arrive, they work and pay tax. Try to think of what would happen if all the migrants in Australia were to pack up and leave tomorrow. Then you'll probably have to wait 2 days to see a doctor.

Comment 97 of 107

no migrant will get a job until the vacancy is not filled by a local person. migrnats don't have great references or even favouritism. Migrants get jobs here be it highly skilled ones or manual labour work...it is purely because there is no citizen who has filled this position. ask any HR...migrants and government both work towards their benefits.

Comment 98 of 107

Vote NO to migration.

Comment 99 of 107

If we need any migrants at all, it is people who mix in our community, like our culture, go to our schools and dress like us (shorts, thongs,etc.,). Not ones who think we are a great cash cow. vonnie

Comment 100 of 107