The recommendations outlined in the Review of the Migration System,chaired by Martin Parkinson and released by Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil,promise to return Australia to its once world-leading model of equality and inclusion for migrants.
The Parkinson Review recommends restoring three principles central to the success of Australia’s pre-1996 immigration policies:a tripartite approach involving unions and employer associations in policy design and implementation,universality through all migrants being subject to the same regulations,and mobility by allowing migrants to move freely between employers.
A tripartite approach underpinned expansion of Australia’s immigration program during post-war decades. Employer associations helped to identify the jobs and sectors most in need of migrant labour,which governments then verified. Trade unions supported recruitment of workers from abroad and played a key role in ensuring they were employed on the same terms as other workers.
Universality was integral to this post-war model. Migrant workers received permanent residency and wages and conditions equal to those of citizens. This gave migrants the security to build their lives in Australia.
Mobility within the labour market was a core part of this universality. Like citizens,migrants could move between employers unrestricted. This freedom of movement helped ensure that migrant workers could escape employers who underpaid or mistreated them,or find better uses for their skills. It meant employers wanting to attract and retain migrant workers had to treat them fairly and legally.