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http://www.smh.com.au/federal-el ... 20100724-10pk9.html
Coalition to cut migrant numbers
STEPHANIE PEATLING
July 25, 2010
The Coalition is preparing to announce dramatic cuts to the migration program as it seeks to outmanoeuvre the government on population and immigration.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is due to make a major announcement on immigration as early as today and
is believed to be considering cuts of more than 110,000 places a year - most from the skilled migration program.
''There will be a substantial reduction and that figure has been mentioned several times,'' a senior campaign strategist told The Sun-Herald.
Another insider said the timing of the announcement was still being worked on but it was possible Mr Abbott would nominate the figure as soon as tonight in the debate with Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Naming the figure would play to voters' concerns that Labor is not prepared to back its statements on population with action, another strategist said.
''Julia Gillard is dog whistling, making tough noises, but won't name any figures. What we're picking up is: it's tough noises but there's no action to back it up. There's not even a substantial review,'' a senior Liberal Party player said.
Liberal strategists believe a commitment to cut immigration would be controversial but help the Coalition's election chances.
''We're certainly picking up that Labor is absolutely vulnerable on this,'' one strategist said.
But it would anger business, which says it needs immigration in order to keep up productivity.
Polling for both parties shows people in crucial outer metropolitan seats are particularly worried about population and immigration, and see the issues as linked.
Sustainable Population Minister Tony Burke said yesterday people needed to concentrate on the distribution of Australia's population.
''One of the problems years ago when it was first tried was decentralisation meant going to areas where there weren't jobs,'' Mr Burke said.
''That has now changed. The mining boom means that in the regions there are jobs, and broadband being rolled out around the country takes away the tyranny of distance for a whole lot of other industries as well.''
Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison would not comment on a specific reduction in numbers but said the size of the immigration program had to be addressed.
''There's only one lever left to pull. That's [immigration] the only thing that will make a difference,'' Mr Morrison said.
Mr Abbott spent yesterday in Perth and Kalgoorlie, where he continued to highlight concerns about asylum seekers and the mining tax.
Despite Labor's strong showing in the opinion polls, party officials are concerned about its support in Queensland and Western Australia.
Mr Abbott announced $50 million for communities to install security cameras to prevent crime.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/25/2963428.htm
Coalition plans to slash migration levels
The Federal Opposition says it would cut migration levels by almost half if it wins the election.
The Coalition says it would reduce Australia's net overseas migration from nearly 300,000 people per year to just 170,000 if it wins the election.
The Opposition's immigration spokesman, Scott Morrison, has indicated the number of skilled worker visas will be protected.
"We are very keen to ensure a strong skilled migration program and one that particularly addresses the needs of regional areas," he said.
"We need to get our population growth rate back to - at least - the long term average."
Population Minister Tony Burke has accused the Opposition of using a sneaky political trick.
He says migration levels are already forecast to fall even further than the Coalition's target.
"By 2011/2012, it's forecast that we'll be at 145,000," he said.
"All he's done is take existing projections over the next 12 months or so and call them his policy."
The Coalition will detail more of its policy later today, including which visa categories will be affected.
In April it announced it would set targets to stop the country reaching a projected population of 36 million by 2050.
Treasury figures showed Australia's population was set to reach 36 million by 2050 but the Opposition said that was too high.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said then that a Coalition government would expand the Productivity Commission and have it review population sustainability on a yearly basis.
It would use the commission's advice to establish what it calls a population growth band target.
本帖最后由 TtiGeR 于 2010-7-25 08:50 编辑 
