the troubadour

Not long after calls by the NSW Premier for reduction in migration numbers to Sydney, the Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, has further amplified the call on 2GB Radio, attacking the Federal Government's 'all care and no responsibility' approach towards immigration that has left the states bearing the economic and social infrastructure costs , while the Fed's collect the benefit from income tax.

This was explicitly projected in a recent Infrastructure Australia report, stating liveability will be crushed, as the city's population balloons, resulting in worrying traffic congestion, reduced access to schools, hospitals and green spaces.

Must be an election coming up. For a Conservative state government to go against its stable mate in Federal Government, shows the concern being expressed within ranks, that the population Ponzi has been sussed and after being sampled, not wanted in present turbo form.

the troubadour

Anyone else think that almost 80% of migration heading for only two cities, insane?

GarryP

Where would you go, if you were migrating to Australia?

Skilled migration implies skilled jobs to go to. You can't be surprised if migrants end up in the only two real cities, the ones with the skilled jobs.

Maybe the concentration should be on moving the semi-skilled to regional areas, where they might find work?

The reality of the problem is employers in the sticks think they should only pay less than the city wages, because they consider houses, etc. cheaper regionally and there is less work. Whereas workers think they should be compensated for living in the middle of nowhere and putting up with the broken communities - and often higher prices.

Just look at the Barnaby Joyce brainwave of moving government departments to his constituency. Most workers left that department rather than move, and they have had to offer higher wages to try and get people to apply. And that's Canberra they were moving from.

the troubadour

Hard to believe creating hyper diversity in two cities while the rest remain only marginally changed, necessary good for social cohesion. Sydney and Melbourne do possess the 'brand' being better known outside the country, besides the push/pull factor of established ethnicity in place. Perfectly understandable. But desirable?
Perth, a well established city of Anglo Saxon populated suburbs, along with white South African packed for Perth types, hardly compliments the diversity found over in Australia's two main gateways, in any shape or form. IMO, we are changing, but need far greater diversity to ensure don't become a hot bed of disgruntled racists and traditionalists.

But besides that, the question remains just why should this nation be running a record immigration program (or close to) with population growth among the highest in the developed region, when wages are stagnant and job competition great? It helps few, if new comers struggle and too little in job market place testing is undertaken.
The regions will hardly be able to absorb great numbers. The scarcity of employment already driving young out to the cities and has long been the case.
It has been shown to work in instances with refugees from rural back grounds which has added benefits to those communities where this has happened. It can be expanded, but clearly has limitations.

The WA government appears to be expanding the list of options open for foreigners to apply for PR. A lot of this is likely to be resulting by the push to encourage far more foreign students to Perth with the added carrot of PR.

Perth was once labelled a city akin to rural rules for PR, which brought in folk from Eastern States for that very reason. Many a taxi driver, around the time had moved over from Sydney or Melbourne for such a reason.
I'd be happy to see greater diversity in the Perth context, for sure. But that doesn't mean bringing in people just for the sake of it and attempting to sustain over inflated housing prices.

GarryP

Actually I'd say that the fake diversity of of Melbourne/Sydney is a problem. Sure they have different races, but they suffer from the same problem that all Austalian cities do - those that grew up there, whatever the race, didn't generally move. So you have a lot of 'locals', a majority, who have ever only known the particular city - whatever their ethnicity. That tends to mean their worldviews are constricted - and new ideas are, well they are new to the particular city at best.

And the point is that technical, skilled, jobs only really exist in those two cities - and as a result of their insular nature, not even really then. Outside, well it can be pretty non-existent. A regional town is like trying to get a data centre management job in Cirencester. Nice idea, but practically it doesn't work.

They would need to be operating at a different level to be able to do practical skilled migration to anywhere outside the big two.

carcajou

They won't find work here, outside a very small number of fields, and low-wage backpacker jobs.

the troubadour

Interesting concept around diversity does not necessary expand world view. Does this apply to all multi ethnic cities or something more unique to Australian cities, in your view? One assumes at least early introduction of race diversity must awaken some insight by 'native locals' of at least an outside world, when considering Australia was still a rather homogeneous nation up to the late seventies? The diversity at that point being between the European tribes.

My feelings are you are of course right, most jobs of a certain nature are to be more likely found in either of the two main centres, although unlikely the volume presently involved, are needed. One interesting point regarding migrants going to other cities, was that at one point in the sixties, Adelaide was a major importer of labour. Hence a rather large South & East European population, besides Brits transplanted there. These more recent times, Adelaide has found it difficult to attract migrants, in the numbers that their State government would prefer.

the troubadour

I suspect the skill levels would be lower in the main. Or folk more at home in a rural environment like the Karen (Burmese) refugees whom apparently have successfully established themselves in regional areas .Nhill (sp?) Mt Gambier,(SA) Bendigo (Vic) Katanning (WA) come to mind. Also increasingly large number of Philippine migrants in trade assistant type rolls, aged care, etc are establishing in smaller cities and towns.(Albany) WA has 1.5% of population hailing from there. Small business operatives would be another likely area for migrants in such areas.

Beoz

He is asking for:

“We’re doing record amounts of infrastructure, $87 billion in four years. I just think it’s fair that we have a seat at the table, because it is the states that have to plan for the future and without being involved in that decision-making, it makes it incredibly difficult…"

Which is not unreasonable when the states have to plan.

However he knows full well that the $87 billion didn't appear from thin air. It was a product of high levels of skilled immigration.

I had a seat on my train this morning and I pick it up 2 stops from the city ....... pedalling congestion isn't really an argument in Sydney ...... Jakarta yes.

the troubadour

Are you riding on the roof, Indian style then? Or is it your presentation that empty seats? Carrying a bag of rotting fish or something equally putrid could well clear the decks. Even I struggle , although I admit a bit less than 'boom times' when standing room was a chore, going one stop to Perth Central.
My feedback is that Sydney, is very overcrowded, ever more people are concerned about the turbo charged population increases, with ever more thinking of quitting Sydney.

The reason that the NSW government id coming down on immigration, is that they read the way the wind is blowing or the tea leaves if you prefer. They fear not unfounded, for their return to government in the coming election. They are seeking a populist platform of blaming the Feds, while still in bed with developers and others driven by profits rather than good policy.. History of present leader suggests other.

carcajou

The Karen in Katanning are able to work at the halal abattoir just outside of town, which also employs a lot of people from Christmas Island (so, ie, the Christmas Islanders paved the way). Many were eventually able to buy houses in town. Though Mt Gambier and Bendigo are much, much, much bigger than Katanning. Don't know about Nhill. The Katanning imam is also a well-respected shire councillor and goes around the state certifying abattoirs as halal.

But that being said many still leave for Perth as soon as they reach 18, and Katanning has had swings and roundabouts with local businesses opening/closing.

Yes it is true there are a lot of Southeast Asians in carer roles, but those are poorly paid. A number of Indians and Chinese also purchase things like roadhouses etc, which I think is probably the best entry strategy for the regions outside of government employment.

But for well-paid roles . . . I know of multiple areas where there is a chiropractor or an optometrist who works in Town X two days a week, Town Y two days a week, and then Town Z one day a week. I suspect a bureaucrat in Canberra looks at that and thinks "look at the worker shortage, if we put two migrant chiropractors and optometrists in there, than Towns X, Y, and Z could have chiropractors and optometrists each day of the week. Skills shortage!" When the reality is that the time is split like that, because that's all the markets can support, 1 or 2 days a week.

Sometimes I wonder, do bureaucrats in Canberra and the state capitals really think we don't have doctors, dentists, or teachers out here? Because we do. What we need more of is police, and that's the one thing they won't even think of entertaining giving us.

Beoz

Your feedback is wrong. Remember articles about over crowding and congestion gives the Daily Telegraph trolls something to feed on. People who have been to or lived in crowded cities don't read the Telegraph. A truckie or Startrack driver who hits a bit of traffic on his daily rounds, who has the Telegraph rolled up on the dash board loves to feed off this stuff, however doesn't understand that his job driving a concrete truck only exists because of population growth and the need for buildings, roads, bridges, etc.

Sydney and Melbourne isn't a patch on the overcrowding in London, New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris (shall I continue to list?). Jakarta and KL - do I need to go there?

Sadly politicians need to please the truckie. They have a vote too. It's just a shame the politicians talk a game rather than explaining and educating people about what really is overcrowding and what benefits growth brings.

The NSW government is nervous. Economically they have been flying high (ever since being elected). Perhaps they should be shouting that from the rooftops because they like population growth. Since the banks have started to please the populist movement (evil banks) the NSW income is taking a hit. You don't go from selling 1200 properties to 500 in a week and not take a hit on that type of stamp duty income. However they can't talk about credit supply. That would go against the populist evil bank movement. So why not talk about another populist movement - the right type of immigration. Seen to be doing something. Sadly the truckie gets skilled immigration on a visual level, not what the benefits it brings. The easy approach would be to kill it off. The right approach would be to manage it. Student Visa to PR would be a good start. We already see what damages the changes to the 457 have brought about.

the troubadour

I was in Katanning not to long ago. Hardly a very attractive town, but the multi cultalralism seems to work. I know the Imam, vaguely as usually eat in his restaurant when in town. (rather like Malay food), enough to 'eat the wind' as the Malays say for a few minutes anyway.
Last visit a rather large gathering of Burundi folk, (two mothers and several kids ) sat outside of the place mentioned where I was eating. Very colourful dress (the women) and apparently just living their social life on the street. Great stuff. Really makes a rather ordinary town stand out.
I know about the Christmas Islanders. What is interesting is that 10% of Katanning is Muslim. Once a year on Harmony Day a street celebration of colour with national costumes and flags and music, all rather unexpected from a small rural, bush town in WA.

Mt Barker, has an established Afghan community of over a hundred plus as well. Interesting as there was a decline last census in the Afghan born, WA rural population in general.
Albany, has some 150 Karen, settled down there as well, often doing farm type work. The same town now has 1.5% of population born in Philippines.

Yes, I'd agree the roadhouse scenario may well be entry level strategy. All the same, I expect to see far more Chinese and Indians setting up in larger centres like Bunbury and Albany as future tourist flows will ensure more speakers of those languages and better eating establishments, along with other small business.
Albany, for one, as so many empty or up for sale premises that it is 'open' one suspects for some 'reinvention' An expensive town to whack, with metro prices at least the norm.

As for doctors, I have tried unsuccessfully recently to get onto the books of other nearby inner city practices, only to be told that no new patents are being accepted. Even my doctor, no longer accepts new patents. seems to be plenty of area for expansion there.

the troubadour

The populist evil bank movement as you term it, is no joke. Why do you continue to support such corruption and yes evil wrong doing?. The results of which have led to some serious consequences. One hope that the anger is maintained. A slap on the wrist and tea money fine, will not be enough to rectify the extraordinary caviller behaviour in greed and vulgarity that has been displayed by the banks.
No return to 'business as usual' after a short period of laying low must be allowed. I believe prison time being well deserved for the thieving antics that has been on display (hardly a secret though) do an Iceland , but all unlikely with the political set up in place in this country. Mug wage earners would pay the price, yet again, come any collapse.

The disuse of the rorting 457 , was good for Australia and even better for workers. The study to PR is but another rort to encourage overwhelming numbers of students, more interested, in many cases at securing PR than actual studies. The hairdresser fiasco of ;last decade highlighted the insanity of that,
Obviously the builders of shoddy built flats, primary for international students, in city centres have vested interests along with other rent seekers in the entire process.
The entire rot started of course when another poor Coalition government, with Howard as helmsman, massively reduced education spending in Australia.
An ever larger number of internationals, were required, to make up the loss of income, impacting on numbers of Australian participants and in turn, often cited declining education standards to boot.

Beoz

Maybe you need to broaden you mind and understand what the changes to 457 have meant for businesses and the level of skill this country so desperately seeks yet cannot find.

You are obviously not in a position of management, trying to find people, let alone frinding quality people.

Again you seem to be supporting some weirdo movement to put the brakes on everything. That's really for people who can't cope with change.