Left believes in sharing this beloved country with many people.
REFUGEES
In Australia, citizens are privileged enough to live in a stable and prosperous society, however many people’s lives are not as beautiful as ours are. Australia has the capacity to accept more than double the number of refugees we currently do and according to a 2016 global survey, around 80% of Australian’s are willing to welcome refugees however Australian polls from a similar time have shown that Australian’s are not at all accepting of refugees (See sources 1 and 2) (Source: SBS). The government however, stands by the opinions of the very vocal 20% in disagreement with taking in asylum seekers.
For a country populated by millions of second or third generation immigrants (particularly immigrants escaping the aftermath of the two World Wars), it is sadly ironic that we refuse to accept those fleeing war today. Many people believe that should refugees not be allowed to enter the country, Australia would lose “our culture” and the refugees would take Aussie jobs rightfully belonging to Australian people, this near-protectionist thinking swings to the right on the political spectrum and is aided by the current government and past governments. As is highlighted in an opinion piece by Eritrean refugee Yordanos Hailemichael for The Daily Telegraph however, once people who have been searching for safety enter a stable culture, it is highly unlikely they will just slack off and contribute nothing (Source: The Daily Telegraph). It appears that the main reason so many people are against refugees entering Australia is fear of terrorism and fear that Australia will end up in a refugee crisis similar to that in Europe last year.
For a country populated by millions of second or third generation immigrants (particularly immigrants escaping the aftermath of the two World Wars), it is sadly ironic that we refuse to accept those fleeing war today. Many people believe that should refugees not be allowed to enter the country, Australia would lose “our culture” and the refugees would take Aussie jobs rightfully belonging to Australian people, this near-protectionist thinking swings to the right on the political spectrum and is aided by the current government and past governments. As is highlighted in an opinion piece by Eritrean refugee Yordanos Hailemichael for The Daily Telegraph however, once people who have been searching for safety enter a stable culture, it is highly unlikely they will just slack off and contribute nothing (Source: The Daily Telegraph). It appears that the main reason so many people are against refugees entering Australia is fear of terrorism and fear that Australia will end up in a refugee crisis similar to that in Europe last year.
An SBS poll in May 2016, just before the federal election demonstrated the conflicting views of the Australian people who voted against accepting refugees and immigrants but contrastingly stated they agree that immigrants have improved Australian culture (see source 2).
In Australia at present, the solution for refugees is lengthy offshore processing and attempted deals to send refugees to the USA while all information regarding incoming boats and the state of detention centres (as implemented by Tony Abbott) remains censored.
The Left Party believes that while we can, we should be doing whatever possible to help displaced people build a new life
In Australia at present, the solution for refugees is lengthy offshore processing and attempted deals to send refugees to the USA while all information regarding incoming boats and the state of detention centres (as implemented by Tony Abbott) remains censored.
The Left Party believes that while we can, we should be doing whatever possible to help displaced people build a new life
SKILLED MIGRANTS
In Australia today, around 60% of migrants with tertiary level or higher qualifications are employed in jobs that fall far below their level of education, as highlighted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics “Tertiary-qualified migrants…make up 5 per cent of Australia's tertiary-qualified workforce but 12 per cent of labourers” (Source: The Sydney Morning Herald). This is because the Australian government has made the recognition of international qualifications nearly as difficult as the fabled 20th century “impossible” immigrant entry test.
For an international qualification recognised for a visa upon entry to Australia, migrants have to gain a score of at least 45 in the Skillselect testing system. Points are gained in relation to certain criteria, things like age (the older a person, the less points they receive) to whether their partner/spouse has a proficient understanding of English (Source: Workpermit.com).
Australia is a country built on the work of outsiders giving it the acclaim of one of the world’s most multicultural countries. Government restriction on the recognition of highly skilled immigrants not only stands against the nation’s base values, but it also sets us teetering dangerously on the edge of becoming a protectionist society, a notion directly opposed by the Left Party.
We believe that employment for all those entering this country should be attainable at the level they have been trained to.
For an international qualification recognised for a visa upon entry to Australia, migrants have to gain a score of at least 45 in the Skillselect testing system. Points are gained in relation to certain criteria, things like age (the older a person, the less points they receive) to whether their partner/spouse has a proficient understanding of English (Source: Workpermit.com).
Australia is a country built on the work of outsiders giving it the acclaim of one of the world’s most multicultural countries. Government restriction on the recognition of highly skilled immigrants not only stands against the nation’s base values, but it also sets us teetering dangerously on the edge of becoming a protectionist society, a notion directly opposed by the Left Party.
We believe that employment for all those entering this country should be attainable at the level they have been trained to.
LANGUAGE BARRIER
As an officially monolingual nation, it is important that everyone is able to communicate with his or her fellow citizens. Currently Australia has a language test that, for anyone to become a citizen, must be passed. The test can be sat as many times as necessary for it to be passed which almost defeats the purpose the test in the first place. Upon arrival to this nation, less than approximately 30% of migrants from all over the globe are proficient English speakers (see source 1).
The Left Party believes that English proficiency is a necessity for any Australian or new Australian. It is our intention to gauge the extent of spoken English mastery a certain person had and thereafter provide immigrants with 4-10 weeks (depending on their level of proficiency) of mandatory intensive government funded English lessons within the first 18 months of their permanent residence in the country. This way we hope to create a knowledgeable society of employable individuals while retaining the nation's proud multicultural streak.
The Left Party believes that English proficiency is a necessity for any Australian or new Australian. It is our intention to gauge the extent of spoken English mastery a certain person had and thereafter provide immigrants with 4-10 weeks (depending on their level of proficiency) of mandatory intensive government funded English lessons within the first 18 months of their permanent residence in the country. This way we hope to create a knowledgeable society of employable individuals while retaining the nation's proud multicultural streak.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the current Australian Government.