‘Unsuitable migrants entering Australia’

Press, 12 July 1984, Page 26

‘Unsuitable migrants entering Australia’

NZPA-AAP Sydney Present immigration policy is bringing in people unsuitable to the structure of the Australian workforce and who could face serious long-term unemployment hampering economic recovery, according to a Sydney economist. Professor Warren Hogan, of Sydney University, told the annual meeting of the Institute of Public Affairs in Sydney that the majority of recent arrivals seeking to enter the workforce were either semi-skilled or unskilled. But these categories, he said, were those already most severely affected by present levels of unemployment in Australia. “Employment opportunities for the relatively unskilled depend upon the activities generated by the professional and technical members of the workforce — all the more so if the Australian economy is to adapt to an internationally competitive stance,” he said.

“If longer-term unemployment of the recent

migrant intake is to be avoided, then more highly skilled people will be required as migrants.” Most migrants were now entering as unskilled or semi-skilled workers under refugee or family reunion programmes. “British migration has for the last eight or more years been replaced by migrants from Asia, being in substantial measure a reflection of these (family reunion) programmes.” Migrants under these programmes were competing with the less skilled in the community at a time when industry was greatly concerned with productivity.

“Hence there can be little wonder at the social and economic tension apparently generated within Australian society over aspects of immigration policy and the impact of migrant settlement,” he said. Professor Hogan said that the economic absorption of recently arrived refugees, from Lebanon and Vietnam in particular, might be proving more difficult than expected.

Unemployment amongst Lebanese was 32.7 per cent and amongst Vietnamese 40.6 per cent, compared with 7.3 per cent for Italians. Asians arriving in Australia since 1983 had an unemployment rate of 55 per cent, he said. “In light of this information, it is reasonable to ask whether Australia’s generous policies on admission of refugees and others somewhat similarly placed on humanitarian grounds have not been carried to excess.”

Professor Hogan said the intake of Asian migrants had risen from 6.8 per cent before 1971 to 26.3 per cent since then. “Should we select migrants in a way which will not require costly settlement programmes and so not discriminate against the Australian taxpayer?” he said.

A direct answer, however, was not offered.

Professor Hogan, it seems, was wary of buying into the long-festering debate on Asian immigration.