A government proposal to stop permanent migrants from settling in Australia’s largest urban centers represents the latest salvo in an increasingly politicized debate on immigration and the country’s future as a multicultural melting pot. Alan Tudge, the federal minister overseeing cities, urban infrastructure and population issues, floated the idea of relocating migrants as a way of easing growth pressures on Sydney, Melbourne and south-eastern Queensland, which attracted almost 90% of new settlers in 2017. The dailyReport Must-reads from across Asia - directly to your inbox “We are working on measures to have more new arrivals go to the smaller states and regions and require them to be there for at least a few years,” Tudge said, adding that the objective was to “match the skills of new migrants with the skill shortages in rural and regional Australia.” Tudge suggested that visa conditions could apply for as many as 45% of permanent migrants, … [Read more...] about Australia toys with immigrant ban for big cities
Australia new immigration rules 2016
Australia’s cruel closed door to child refugees
In 2015, Australian doctors treating the traumatized children of asylum-seekers at a Melbourne hospital refused to return them to an offshore detention center, as they feared for their well-being in the appalling conditions. Bizarrely, the doctors were accused by local politicians of putting the lives of boatpeople at risk because it was claimed that allowing children sanctuary would encourage others to make the perilous sea crossing to Australia. The dailyReport Must-reads from across Asia - directly to your inbox Three years on, the government is again saying it won’t relocate children facing “catastrophic” medical issues from offshore detention centers to Australia. It will also stop giving welfare support to 30,000 already allowed to live in Australia under earlier more lenient rules while their cases were heard: hundreds say they will be left destitute. There is a boatload of evidence that asylum-seekers now rarely try to reach Australia by sea, yet … [Read more...] about Australia’s cruel closed door to child refugees
Australia’s political dysfunction a sign of the times
SYDNEY: A prime minister failing to see out his full term should be a rarity, but in Australia it's become the norm, with a culture of parliamentary back-stabbing that has driven disaffected voters into the arms of fringe parties.With Malcolm Turnbull the latest to be knifed by his party, no leader has managed to see out their full three years since long-serving John Howard was defeated in the 2007 election.When Scott Morrison takes the oath for the top job after having emerged victorious from the Liberal Party bearpit, he will become Australia's seventh prime minister in 11 years.The extraordinary scenes in the nation's capital have been met with renewed disgust towards the political class - already rated among the least trusted people in the country, despite an era of relative prosperity and economic growth."Hang your heads in shame," the tabloid Northern Territory News screamed on its front page Friday (Aug 24).Australians, it said "have had enough of politicians putting their … [Read more...] about Australia’s political dysfunction a sign of the times
New Zealand has banned the sale of homes to foreigners after too many people started treating the island like their doomsday hideout
caption Holidaymakers drive past a road sign at St. Arnaud on the South Island of News Zealand. source REUTERS/Henning Gloystein New Zealand has banned foreigners from buying property, a response to skyrocketing house prices across the nation. The housing crisis has been pinned in part on wealthy overseas investors looking for a place to escape a doomsday scenario. US celebrities, including former TV host Matt Lauer and Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel have already snapped up luxury homes. New Zealand has banned foreigners for buying property there in response to skyrocketing house prices across the nation. Parliament passed the law (the text of which is here) on Wednesday, barring most overseas visitors from purchasing homes or land. “If you’ve got the right to live in New Zealand permanently, you’ve got the right to buy here. But otherwise it’s not a right, it’s a privilege,” New Zealand’s minister for economic … [Read more...] about New Zealand has banned the sale of homes to foreigners after too many people started treating the island like their doomsday hideout
Australia uses Asean to poke at US, China
Shared fears over regional geopolitical uncertainties has driven Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) into each other’s embrace. As middle powers, both sides are deeply concerned about China’s revisionist ambitions, America’s protectionist turn, as well as the infiltration of transnational terror groups into the region. Against this backdrop, Australia and Asean concluded their first-ever special summit (March 16-18) in Sydney, Australia. The high-profile event, which saw the attendance of ten heads of state and government – with the exception of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte – was long in the making. The dailyReport Must-reads from across Asia - directly to your inbox The United States (Sunnylands 2016) and India (New Delhi 2018) held similar events, even though Australia became Asean’s first dialogue partner more than four decades ago. Nonetheless, the summit reaffirmed Australia’s emergence as an … [Read more...] about Australia uses Asean to poke at US, China