Member for Bowman Henry Pike MP has backed the Coalition’s Australia First Migration Plan, which will deliver the largest reduction in immigration in Australian history while protecting North Stradbroke Island’s access to the Working Holiday Maker workforce.
The Liberals and Nationals will initially cut net overseas migration to 100,000 a year, reduce the number of temporary visa holders by around 650,000 over four years and impose tougher standards across the migration system.
“Under Labor, the numbers have been too high and the standards have been too low. Labor has admitted 1.5 million migrants in just four years and Australians are paying the price,” Mr Pike said.
“There are not enough homes, our roads are more congested and our schools, hospitals and frontline services are under increasing pressure.
“Redlands families can see it and feel it. Migration has to be brought back to levels Australia can actually sustain.”
Under the Coalition’s plan, migration will be better matched to Australia’s capacity to build homes and infrastructure, while temporary migration will be substantially reduced.
The Coalition will also abolish Temporary Graduate Visas, reduce international student numbers, tighten temporary visa rules and give greater priority to skilled migrants who meet stronger requirements around skills, English, income and employment, and who share Australian values.
“We need a migration system that strengthens Australia, fills genuine skills shortages and serves the national interest,” Mr Pike said.
“That means fewer people overall, but better targeted migration and much higher standards.”
Importantly for the Redlands, North Stradbroke Island will continue to benefit from Working Holiday Makers under the Coalition’s policy.
That follows concerns about Labor’s new changes to the Working Holiday Maker program, which would end the current pathway allowing people who complete specified regional work to qualify for a second or third year visa.
Under Labor’s proposal, completing that work would instead only qualify a person to enter a ballot. The proposed third year ballot would offer just 5,000 places, compared with around 31,000 people in that cohort last year.
Mr Pike said the change threatened tourism businesses on North Stradbroke Island that rely heavily on Working Holiday Makers during peak periods.
“For communities like Straddie, Labor’s proposal would be devastating,” Mr Pike said.
“Working Holiday Makers fill essential jobs in housekeeping, laundry, maintenance, bars, restaurants and kitchens during the busiest parts of the year.
“You cannot simply rip that workforce out of an island tourism economy and pretend there will not be consequences.”
The Queensland Tourism Industry Council has estimated Queensland could lose around 10,300 regional backpackers under Labor’s proposed changes.
Mr Pike said the Coalition’s approach showed it was possible to substantially reduce migration without inflicting unnecessary damage on regional and tourism communities.
“Cutting migration should not mean making arbitrary decisions that hurt small communities and local businesses,” he said.
“We can have a much smaller migration program while still being smart about the workers Australia genuinely needs and where they are needed.
“That is what this plan does. Fewer temporary migrants, higher standards and a migration system firmly focused on Australia’s national interest, without making communities like Straddie collateral damage.”
For more information on the plan visit www.liberal.org.au/our-plan/migration