Search Results
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Dutton’s stuff-ups: Tough guy who’s not so tough
For a self-promoted tough guy — particularly if it involves refugee women and children — Peter Dutton’s career has been marked by many instances of being missing in action. Continue reading »
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A five-minute scroll
John Mearsheimer on ethnic cleansing and Double Down news debunks the myth of self defence. Francesca Albanese questions Germany’s position on Israel, while chemical weapons are used on UN peacekeepers. Penny Wong announces sanctions on Iran, but not Israel. Life for Palestinian journalists and a record of IDF atrocities. Sophie McNeill corrects the ABC, Abul Continue reading »
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Unsuccessful asylum seekers now exceed those at primary and AAT stages
As has been the case every month since around 2015-16, the number of asylum seekers in Australia continued to set records, reaching 116,389 at end July 2024. The total number refused at both the primary level and at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), but not departed, is now a record of 43,499. On current policy Continue reading »
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Record numbers of temporary graduates in immigration limbo
Temporary graduate visas are for overseas students who complete their study and wish to undertake work in Australia, often as a pathway to permanent residence. These visas work best when the bulk of temporary graduates seeking permanent residence are able to secure skilled work and eventually a permanent residence employer sponsored (or other) permanent visa. Continue reading »
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Dutton’s Trumpian certainties are swamping Albanese’s dithering
One full day during the Republican National Convention in the US last month was devoted entirely to the issue of crime. Under the title “Make America Safe Again”, it referenced a make-believe crime wave engulfing American cities. Continue reading »
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Student visa holders applying for asylum
Since March 2018, over 13,700 student visa holders have applied for asylum. This does not include temporary graduate visa holders who may have applied for asylum. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) uses the number of asylum applications by student visa holders as a risk indicator which can lead to an increase in offshore student Continue reading »
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Australia and the Israeli-Hamas War
We, the undersigned, urge the Australian Government to pursue a policy towards the Israeli-Hamas war which is more transparent, consistent and principled than currently is the case. Continue reading »
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Dutton’s abysmal record on immigration integrity
Home Affairs Minister James Paterson has recently been extolling Peter Dutton’s record on immigration integrity and dealing with foreign criminals. So let’s just test those claims. Continue reading »
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Dutton’s migration cuts on parents, health workers, risks massive backlash from Australia’s migrant community
In his Budget reply, Peter Dutton said he wants to cut the permanent migration program from 185,000 to 140,000 while maintaining a two-thirds to one third balance in favour of the skill stream. We subsequently found out that this is part of his plan to reduce net migration to 160,000. Continue reading »
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The real reason Labor is rushing through immigration powers
The government’s new deportation legislation is both radical and at the same time addresses two issues that have been around for at least 30 years. But is it good law and why the urgency? Continue reading »
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Why we shouldn’t believe the Institute of Public Affairs
Net permanent and long-term (NP&L-T) movements data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) was recently used by the far right Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) in a highly politicised analysis of the January 2024 data on NP&L-T movements. This ‘analysis’ was naturally picked up by the Murdoch press via the Daily Telegraph with Continue reading »
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What does Dutton stand for?
Dutton regularly proclaims what he opposes, but what he will do in terms of new policies mostly remains a mystery or alternatively will not work. Continue reading »
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What’s happening with covid visa holders?
The covid visa stream of sub-class 408 was introduced during the pandemic when international borders were closed. It enabled temporary entrants who were unable to leave Australia to maintain their lawful status and keep working. They could apply for a 12 month covid stream visa and then apply for another one if they wished. Continue reading »
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Is Albanese on track to deliver proposed net migration reductions?
After letting net migration blow out to around 518,000 in 2022-23, the Albanese Government has announced it wants to bring net migration down to 375,000 in 23-24 and 250,000 in 24-25 Continue reading »
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Dutton’s border protection rhetoric is nothing like his border protection record
Peter Dutton’s border protection rhetoric has contributed to a remarkable improvement in the Coalition’s public polling. He will ride that rhetoric to the next Election. Continue reading »
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Hysteria: Putting the 12 asylum seeker boat arrivals into context
While there is much hysteria from Peter Dutton and the Murdoch press associated with the 12 asylum seekers who recently arrived by boat (it’s a catastrophe apparently), there was less excitement about a new post-pandemic monthly record for primary asylum applications set in October at 2,322. That is now approaching the monthly record of over Continue reading »
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Voice to Parliament: An Australian test of character
Will Australia today say Yes and agree to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice? Or will we reject the request made to us by representatives of First Nations communities in the Uluru Statement from the Heart? Continue reading »
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Conjuring up panic about teaching reading
Magicians regularly use distraction to trick us into perceiving one thing while another is happening. Politicians use similar tricks to signal concern about public policy problems. Recently there has been an organised campaign to get us to believe that NAPLAN literacy results can all be explained by differences in the methods used to teach reading. Continue reading »
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Migration policy and modern slavery: no sex worker left behind?
While minds turn to an overhaul of Australia’s migration policies, anti-sex work sentiment may have created a parallel policy reality for some. Continue reading »
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What should we make of the 2023-24 Migration Program planning levels?
The Government has announced the 2023-24 migration program will be set at 190,000 places – in headline terms a 5,000 place reduction on the 2022-23 migration program. Continue reading »
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What to look for in a Migration Strategy
Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil will shortly (possibly on 27 April) release a new migration strategy. This follows a review of the migration system led by former Secretary of PM&C Martin Parkinson and a review of visa integrity by former Police Commissioner Christine Nixon. Continue reading »
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Federal housing minister needs policy renovation
Federal member for Franklin, Labor’s Julie Collins, is the Minister for Housing and Homelessness. Her current plans to fix the housing crisis look like putting a Band-aid on a broken leg. And breaking the other leg for good measure. Continue reading »
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The Australian immigration system is broken. Who knew? Who cared?
Mainstream media organisations apparently had neither the expertise nor the desire to recognise that the system was broken. Continue reading »
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A migration system for Australia’s future
A three-member panel to review Australia’s migration system – former PM&C Secretary Martin Parkinson, academic Joanna Howe and businessman John Azarias – has been set the task of producing “a holistic strategy that articulates the purpose, structure and objectives of Australia’s migration system to ensure it meets the national interest in the coming decades”. Continue reading »
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Pro-population increase advocates blind to sustainability crisis
Any new inquiry into Australia’s migration program needs to assess the full costs and benefits of population growth, especially the costs to our environment and the risks of collapse. Continue reading »
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Partner visas – another Dutton scandal
Under Dutton, the Department of Home Affairs just ignored the law. Continue reading »
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How Anthony Albanese as Prime Minister could rewrite the script
Below is a repost of articles which we posted earlier on guidance for a new government on important policies. Continue reading »
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Double fault: a pandemic of government incompetence
Novak Djokovic may have thought he’d beaten the system when he entered Australia. Instead he shone a light on our government’s lack of accountability. Continue reading »
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What a shambles: a tangled net for Scott Morrison and Novak Djokovic
The debacle surrounding the tennis ace is good media fodder. Chiefly, it shows that Morrison’s right hand does not know what the left hand is doing. Continue reading »
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Saturday’s good reading and listening for the weekend
What people in other forums are saying about public policy Continue reading »
