Something with some meat to it.

[deathpixie]

Which is funny, coming from the vegetarian. *grins*

I haven't really been as vocal in this journal as I used to be - too many other distractions, and, as Mel says, happiness is active, so I'm actively out there doing stuff rather than sitting around thinking of things to say in my journal, and then when I am sitting around I'm playing with X-Project and that's fair more fun. *grins* But work is horribly dull today, so all that I'm leaving at 2pm to get Important Errands Concerning Top Secret Plans run, I'm feeling the need to get chatty. Besides, I need to justify the horribly self-serving meme down there. ;)

Any way, something that Phil and I were talking about last night (I got kidnapped for dinner, which was very good) was some of the repurcussions of the Budget, and how disturbing it is that the Gnome's Government is effectively telling people to go forth and multiply, with various bonuses and perks for people having babies.

Now, the question that goes begging is this: if Australia is in such dire need of population that the government feels compelled to actively encourage people to have children (within the holy sanction of marriage, prefereably, otherwise you're a bludging single parent leeching tay payer's money from them), why then don't we allow more immigration? Besides the refugee crisis (and don't bring up that whole queue-jumping argument, you can't jump a queue if there isn't one. For example, how does someone in Afghanistan apply to immigrate here when the nearest Australian consulate is in Pakistan and they don't exactly have Net access there?), there are hundreds and thousands of qualified, skilled people wanting in on the Lucky Country. And why doesn't the government increase migration numbers? Because the people wanting in are not the preferred type - ie, white, European, and speaking English.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's the White Australia Policy all over again. The government would rather encourage people bring more children into an already over-populated world than to share what we have with people who already exist becase they're too Asian or too Middle-Eastern to 'fit in'. Well, bollocks to that - Australia is built on migration (us white Australians aren't exactly native either, if you go back only 7 generations), and it's our previous willingness to incorporate other cultures into our own that has given us the identity we have, one of a place where everyone has a fair go and everyone gets a chance at making something for themselves.

John Howard and his government are making me ashamed of being Australian. I just hope everyone else is feeling the same way by the time the next election rolls 'round.

Comments

Re: Try being an American...

[seraangel.livejournal.com]

I've come to really loath America's immigration policy over the last few years. Afterall, I kinda have a reason for wanting to move to America and all. But to be perfectly honest, Australia's is almost exactly identical. I've kinda had the reason to check and for both you either need to have a relative in the country willing to sponser you, be married to someone in the country or have a job prospect willing to sponser you. The only thing I noticed that was different is that with Australia, you can get in if you're considered a De Facto partner of someone who is Australian. And this is for only applying for a green card/work visa. (I really love the logic that says you have to have a job in America/Australia before you can apply for a card that will give you permission to work in America/Australia.)

Canada on the other hand, is much better. There at least they allow you to apply for permanent residence based on a point system, where if you match or exceed the points needed you can at least apply for a permanent resident card.