Scott Morrison believes the key to prosperity is Immigration

According to Mr Scott Morrison, giving way to the sentiment of voters for the One Nation party of Pauline Hanson, all of which are against immigration, could cause the major source of Australia’s prosperity.

He believes however, that the dismissal of their concerns is not the answer.

The former minister of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, now the treasurer of the Australian government, stated that the relatively high level of immigration in Australia’s is still very popular among its supporters because of how well managed the program is, and how focused it is on skills. He cannot ignore however, the fact that there is a growing discontent at the slowing of the post global financial crisis economy.

Immigration, according to Mr Morrison, along with international trade and foreign investment, were globally under attack as many do not have much confidence that they were being managed according to their interests.

Mr Morrison also said it was vital that governments responded to the root cause of these concerns. “If people lose confidence in our immigration as being a positive thing, if they lose confidence in investment as a positive thing and if they lose confidence in trade as a positive thing, that is a big problem that could have serious consequences for our prosperity and the growth of our economy,’’ he said.

He also believes that it was important the root cause of the problems are given proper attention by the governments.

”If people lose confidence in our immigration as being a positive thing, if they lose confidence in investment as a positive thing and if they lose confidence in trade as a positive thing,” he explained, ”That is a big problem that could have serious consequences for our prosperity and the growth of our economy.”

”While these things are occurring globally,” he continued on to explain. ”We’ve got two choices: we could resign ourselves to them and see our prosperity suffer as a result or we have to engage.”

At the G20 meeting of finance ministers held in China 2 weeks ago, he argued that in-spite of what is deemed as an adverse response to globalisation and its effects, the ”free movement of people for economic purposes” still need to be continuously promoted so that global growth can get the support that it needs.

Mr Morrison stated that the key to the country’s success in its immigration program was its commitment on choosing those that possess the skills needed. ”It falls under the banner of inviting those to come who make a contribution rather than take one,’’ said Mr Morrison. ”We are the most, not arguably, we are the most successful immigration country on Earth.”

He also added that Australia was successful in achieving cohesion in-spite of all its critics, in fact, it’s better compared to other countries.

His tough approach when it comes to dealing with boat arrivals while he was still the immigration minister at that time under prime minister Tony Abbott, he explained, was done to make sure that public confidence was restored and that migration was being managed well.

”One of the reasons I took such a strong stand on border protection apart from the obvious saving lives at sea,” he stated. ”Is I have always seen immigration as one of the key drivers of our prosperity and if people lose confidence in our immigration as being a positive thing, that could have serious consequences for our prosperity and the growth of our economy.”

He also said that the Australian economy with its low wage growth and its low inflation, was on its way to an insecurity which had fostered the anti-immigration parties’ support.

”It would be foolish for anyone to deny that there is that concern,” said Mr Morrison. ”The way to address it is not to dismiss or deny it, but to engage people and what is really concerning them and try to get underneath that and have policies that effectively address those concerns.”

He further went on to explain: ”What is it that is causing people’s uncertainty? Is it the stability of their employment? Have they lost some sense of hope for their kids and what about what sort of economy it will be in the future? These are not new questions but we have got to find better ways of answering them in the economy we are facing, just as it is essential that we do not stick our heads in the sand on the reality of this genuine view and sentiment which is being reflected.”

The key, according to Mr Morrison, was to make sure that people get involved and participate in the economy.

He also said that instead of the Left talking about an inclusion agenda, which he believes is a very heavy phrase which is often about bigger deficits and higher welfare payments, it would be better to become engaged as it is how you get people to participate in the economy.

Source: TheAustralian.com.au