The blowout in the numbers of immigrants seeking asylum in Australia after arriving by plane is a consequence of lax immigration oversight that began when Peter Dutton was responsible for border control.
Government plans to cut the migrant intake make sense. But maintaining control of the numbers will be the key challenge.
Australia needs to do more to stop undocumented workers being exploited by organised crime. We cannot sweep the problem under the carpet.
Labor has made some positive changes to migration policies,but giving the states the power over which industries get visas means a slower process and less economic benefit than allowing employers to hire directly.
Australia’s policy is a mess and the government’s long-term plans must be clearly explained.
The latest update of the UN’s World Population Prospects confirms we are now in sight of a time when the human population will cease to grow and be in ongoing decline.
The media attention on asylum-seeker boat arrivals largely misses the real challenges facing the Albanese government.
Australia has a tradition of generosity in humanitarian crises,but slow responses in recent years have damaged its reputation.
The two court decisions,and the Djokovic case in general,highlight how dysfunctional Australia’s border management arrangements have become.
Why did Home Affairs grant Djokovic a visa in the first place?
To reach the very high targets suggested this week,we would need to make it easier for older people and people with more limited English and/or lower skill levels to migrate to Australia. And that has consequences.