With the ongoing drought and declining water storages, barely-coping infrastructure, ever-longer hospital waiting lists and so on, what does the Government decide to do with some of its Budget money? Increase the immigration intake to address the so-called “skills shortage”! I can't adequately express my disgust. From the Herald-Sun:
Add 31 000 to skilled
AN extra 31 000 skilled migrants will be accepted in 2008-09 to help tackle the worsening labour shortage, Immigration Minister Chris Evans said yesterday.
All up 133 500 will be let in.
Senator Evans said the scheme had not grown sufficiently in the past to respond to the skills shortages.
Australia will accept 190 300 migrants in 2008-09, including 56 500 for family reunions.
The increase in skilled migrants will cost the Federal Government $1.4 billion over four years through the cost of settlement, health, education and employment services.
More than 100 000 migrants are expected under the uncapped temporary skilled worker scheme.
The money spent on supporting immigrants is money that should be spent on services for the people who are citizens here! Especially with headlines such as “Patients needing treatment being forced to wait longer” – “More than 200,000 sick Victorians were left waiting unacceptably long times for treatment as the public health system buckled under increased pressure late last year.”
