Support for liberal migration regime
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008Mark Dodd; 21/4/08
Troubled South Pacific states would be more democratic and economically viable, and Australia’s future security would be enhanced, if the federal Government adopted a more liberal Pacific migration regime. The Rudd Government is moving to establish a trial of a short-stay visa program for Pacific islanders and expects to announce the plan at the Pacific Island Forum in Niue in August. ACTU president Sharan Burrow yesterday gave qualified union support to allow Pacific islanders and East Timorese working rights in Australia, as part of a broader Australian-South Pacific engagement policy endorsed at the 2020 Summit. “Stronger economic integration is absolutely on the agenda,” Ms Burrow said. “In our group, we predicted by 2020 you would effectively see a common market around the southwest Pacific, and we’ve also got some responsibility for East Timor, and I’m delighted to say the security and prosperity group found the Pacific was a first-order priority.”
