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This policy statement was
prepared for national publication by Catholic organisations as a response
to the One Nation Immigration
and Social Cohesion Policy
One Nation Policy
"Refugees should be sent home
when their homelands are peaceful"
ACMRO Comment
Most of the world's estimated 19 million refugees
return home from the nearby countries to which they fled for their lives when they feel
the danger has passed. Only the most desperate cases are resettled in distant countries
like Australia. These are chosen after careful individual assessment which confirms that
their lives would be at risk if they returned home. In many cases, the persecution which
has placed them at risk lasts many years, sometimes for the rest of their lives. It would
be inhumane to deny such people the opportunity to reconstruct their lives in Australia as
permanent residents, or eventually to deport their spouses and children, many of whom
would have been born in Australia and be Australian citizens. Australia has a proud record
as a refugee-receiving country. Over half a million refugees have arrived in Australia
since 1947. Refugees become Australian citizens at more than twice the rate of other
migrants, demonstrating their commitment to being Australian.
One Nation Policy
Zero net Migration
ACMRO Comment
Australia's prosperity has been built on migration.
Since World War II, some 5.6 million immigrants from over 150 countries have made
Australia their home (only 46% of whom have been Anglo-Celts). Today, around 41% of people
living in Australia were born overseas or have a parent born overseas. We need migration
now for the same reasons we needed it in 1945 - a declining birthrate and a need for
skilled workers in the trades and professions.
Like most industrialised countries, Australia has a
declining and ageing population. Even with current levels of migration (80,000) our
birthrate has fallen below replacement level. Every couple now has only 1.8 children.
Demographers predict that by the year 2031 as many Australians will die as are being born
and the population will rapidly decline after that. Such decline will be difficult to
remedy. As people generally migrate when they are young, resonable levels of migration
ensure a healthy birthrate and the maintenance of a relatively youthful population. An
immigration level of 30,000 a year will not achieve this.
The overwhelming majority of today's migrants are
selected because they are skilled, proficient in English-language and generally young and
healthy. As they arrive already qualified, Australian taxpayers have not had to foot the
bill for their training or welfare payments (non-humanitarian entrants are subject to a
two year waiting period before they are eligible to access social security payments). As
governments increasingly withdraw funding from educational institutions, and businesses
offer fewer apprenticeships and opportunities for on-the-job training, Australia will need
to import the skilled workers we need. Skilled migrants also bring knowledge of business
practices in their own countries which are invaluable to Australian companies seeking to
develop export opportunities overseas. In order to survive in an increasingly globalised
economy we need to attract reasonable numbers of skilled migrants. In 1996-97, 28,000
places were allocated for skilled migrants increasing to 35,000 for current planning years
- we would do well if we could attract more.
The family reunion component of the migration
program is essential. Australians have not only a fundamental human right but also a basic
need to live with their families - spouses and their dependent children. In 1996-97 there
were 44,700 places for family migrants, reducing to 30,500 for current planning years.
One Nation Policy
"The present policy of Multiculturalism should
be abolished"
ACMRO Comment
Multiculturalism is a philosophy which recognises
the cultural diversity of contemporary Australian society. Multicultural policies have
been adopted by Local, State and Commonwealth governments since the 1970s to ensure that all
Australians are treated justly and equally regardless of their race and ethnicity.
Important components of multiculturalism address the
provision of adequate government services in ways which are acceptable to particular
cultural values, including interpreting and translating services; access to medical,
educational and social services; provision of English language classes and funding to
ethnic and other organisations designed specifically to assist in settling refugees and
migrants .
A point worth making is that ethnic tensions and
racism flourish in countries whose governments do not work to ensure equality and justice
for all racial and ethnic groups in their national communities, and which do not
acknowledge the legitimacy of cultural diversity.
It would be irresponsible to dismantle a policy that
acts as a national unifying force and allows all Australians equal rights in
acknowledging their cultural diversity, including language and religion. It is
fundamentally vital that this policy be maintained, especially for a nation that was
established and built on immigration. Approximately 5.6 million immigrants from over 150
countries have made Australia home since World War II, and some 41 per cent of people
living in Australia were born overseas or have a parent born overseas.
The Church stresses the importance of respect for
individuals and their rights, and the importance of respect for the diversity of people.
One Nation Policy
"Australians have the right to maintain their
unique culture and identity"
ACMRO Comment
This statement assumes there
is one 'unique culture and identity' in Australia. Australians have shown that they can
live harmoniously together and share their different cultures. Implicit in this statement
is an assumption that cultural diversity is a threat to 'Australian culture'. Australia
has developed a unique multicultural identity, enriched by the great variety of cultural
practices and special skills of migrants and their children. Our culture is continually
evolving and changing, as all living cultures do; it is dynamic. Australian cuisine is
only one example of this. Australian art, music, literature, architecture, design,
environment, including the shape and type of cities, have benefited immensely from the
talents of those who have migrated to Australia.
One Nation Policy
"A government's responsibility surely is
to protect its people's welfare, security, environment, economy and standard
of
living"
ACMRO Comment
This is a 'motherhood'
statement with which nobody would quarrel. It is, however, mischievous, as it implies that
past government policies (by implication immigration policies) have ignored these aims.
One Nation Policy
"The migrant intake should be
non-discriminatory on condition the numbers do not significantly alter the ethnic
and
cultural make up of the country"
ACMRO Comment
It is impossible to have a
non-discriminatory immigration policy while at the same time imposing quotas based on
ethnicity and culture. Administering One Nation's policy would be a nightmare. Would the
current percentages of various ethnic groups be the benchmark to be maintained forever?
If the policy were to be implemented, what would
happen in the case where migration from some countries, for example Greece, has virtually
ceased. Would we be obliged to seek Greek migrants in order not to 'significantly alter
the ethnic and cultural make-up of the country'? Migrants should be selected without
discrimination on the grounds of country of birth, ethnic origin, race, sex or religion
according to criteria which constantly adjust to the changing needs of Australia, and
which enable Australia to fulfil its obligations as part of the international community.
One Nation Policies identified in the
media but not clearly
articulated in the 'Policy
Document'
One Nation
The Racial Discrimination Act should be repealed
ACMRO Comment
The One Nation's demand that
the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 should be repealed on the grounds that it
'discriminates against white Anglo-Saxons and prevents criticism of non-whites' (Sydney
Morning Herald, 29/6/98), suggests a misunderstanding of the purpose of the Act and the
way it is implemented. It protects the rights of Australians of all ethnic backgrounds
including Anglo-Celts. Enacted in 1975, the Act does not prevent 'criticism'. It makes
unlawful acts which distinguish, exclude, restrict or give preference to a person on the
basis of race, colour, descent or national origin in a way which impairs his or her equal
exercise of any human right or fundamental freedom in any field of public life. It serves
to ensure that people of one race do not enjoy rights which are superior to those of other
races.
Since its establishment in 1986, the Human Rights
and Equal Opportunity Commission deals with complaints alleging unlawful racial
discrimination. Most disputes are settled by conciliation in a non-adversarial way with no
public admission of fault. Because the burden of proof on the complainant creates
significant obstacles in establishing racial discrimination, the majority of cases upheld
by the Commission have involved direct racial discrimination in the provision of goods and
services, where the facts of the case can be clearly established.
The Racial Discrimination Act reminds all
Australians, of whatever ethnic origin, of their rights as citizens to live without having
to endure discrimination, offence, intimidation or insult on the grounds of race and
ethnicity, and their obligation to respect the rights of other Australians to the same
respect as they expect for themselves.
It is essential to preserving Australia as an
harmonious, just and equal society - the type of society in which most Australians wish to
live.
One Nation.
All migrants should have to speak at least basic
English before being allowed to enter Australia
ACMRO Comment
One Nation's policy relating to English language is
erroneous and misinformed. Most permanent arrivals speak English. The majority of skilled
migrants speak English. Overwhelmingly those who do not have functional English are either
close family relatives (spouses or children) or refugee and other humanitarian arrivals
who are selected solely because of their need for protection. In order to help these
categories settle as quickly as possible into our English-speaking society they are
provided with up to 510 hours of English language training under the Adult Migrant English
Program, which is free for humanitarian entrants, but for which non-humanitarian entrants
must pay. It would be unreasonable and illogical to deny permanent residence status to
spouses, dependent children or humanitarian entrants to Australia because they could not
speak English.
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