Concerns on immigration continue to linger
Dewi Cooke; 22/4/08
More than one-third of Australians think immigration levels are too high. The research, by Monash University’s Institute for the Study of Global Movements, points to lingering worries about immigration and race issues in Australia, despite decades of rapid demographic and cultural growth and increased government emphasis on migration to ease the skills shortage. The findings come after the Federal Government’s recent decision to raise the skilled migration quota by 6000 this year, taking the number of skilled migrant visas to 108,500 by 2007-08. But this environment of diversity has not eradicated concerns about immigration among the general population. Overall, 35% of the 2000 people surveyed — most of whom were Australian citizens — believed the current immigration intake was too high.