Immigration Minister Chris Evans has announced a cutback of about 20,000 in the skilled migrant program.
Is this an indication that the Rudd government is responding to our concerns about the massive growth in Australia's population in recent years? Perhaps not for this is only a small cutback. The skilled migrant intake in 1995/6 was 24,000 but it rose to 114,777 by 2008/9.
In his 14 point plan to cut back our population intake, Kelvin Thomson, ALP federal member for Wills, considers that the skilled intake should be no more than about 25,000, so the Rudd government still has a long way to go to make any real impact on the 889,722 arrivals on our shores in 2008/9.
Australia cannot continue to increase its population at the current rate which, if it continues, will push our population up around the 40 million mark by 2050. Our fragile environment cannot cope with these numbers.
Get real Mr. Rudd, we demand that you develop a population policy that is acceptable to the existing resident population.
We support Kelvin Thomson's 14 point plan which, if implemented, would cut our immigration numbers to around the 70,000 mark, which is the about the numbers we took in during the 1990's. This would result in our population stabilizing at around 26 million. Australia could handle that number.
A net overseas migration rate of 70,000 is not inconsistent with Australia's obligation to be a compassionate international citizen. (See the 14 point plan - click on http://www.kelvinthomson.com.au/speeches.php and go to "There is an alternative to runaway population" - Kelvin Thomson's 14 point plan for population reform.
