One of the great things about Australia is our immigrant story: the contribution made to upskilling our economy, enlivening our communities and enriching our culture. But Keneally has gone Donald Trump-lite by propagating nativism and xenophobia with her “Australians First” rhetoric. US-born Keneally wants Australia’s immigration program, post-pandemic, to be reduced overall and the composition changed. She has skilled workers on temporary visas in her sights. “We must make sure Australians get a fair go and a first go at jobs,” she told Sydney’s The Sun-Herald. This language is loaded with ignorance and prejudice.
Immigration has been essential to Australia’s economic growth and we would probably already be in recession if not for the contribution of migrants who boost productivity, pay taxes, consume goods and services, and increase our overall standard of living. The positive contribution made by permanent and temporary migrants, and students, is immense.
Keneally argues that immigration is “contributing to unemployment”. But Australia has been running a high immigration intake while unemployment has hovered about a historically low 5 per cent. While we should invest in training for future workers and upskill those presently working or out of work, we cannot replace a migrant workforce overnight.
Encouraging migrants to fill skills shortages — jobs Australians do not want or are not qualified to do — would be a good post-pandemic economic policy. Our permanent migrant intake of 160,000 this year and next will be significantly reduced due to coronavirus. This will have a major economic impact. We can be an open and welcoming country to migrants while also investing in training and retraining for future jobs.
Keneally’s approach is not only wrongheaded policy but also dangerous and divisive politics. To call it a dog whistle would ascribe a degree of intelligent strategy to it. Labor’s home affairs spokeswoman has used the same degenerate language that Trump does by aping his “America First” mantra. It is demeaning and disrespectful to all migrants.
Seats with strong migrant populations in Sydney and Melbourne, especially, swung against Labor at the last election. Keneally’s attack on temporary skilled migrants will be interpreted as an attack on all migrants who have come here in good faith with their talents to contribute to our economy and make a new home, raise a family and play their part as members of our community.
Keneally parrots jingoistic union concerns about temporary foreign workers. She argues these are “cheap” workers – even though many are highly skilled and highly paid to fill labour gaps – who undercut “wages for Australian workers” and take away jobs that “Australians could do”. Yet just weeks ago, Labor was arguing they should be eligible for JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments. Now they are told they are not welcome.
It may be a coincidence that Keneally’s preselection for the next election will be decided by union bosses. Keneally is in a contest with fellow senator Deborah O’Neill for the No 1 spot on NSW Labor’s Senate ticket. Keneally filled a casual Senate vacancy in 2018 only because she had the backing of then NSW Labor secretary Kaila Murnain and leader Bill Shorten. Several Labor frontbenchers privately condemn Keneally’s “Australians First” rhetoric. Contacted on Sunday and Monday, they said it did not fully reflect discussions on immigration in shadow cabinet. The shift in language and policy emphasis came as a surprise to them. But it did not come as a surprise that it came from Keneally. I doubt any of her colleagues will offer a full-throated endorsement of the “Australians First” language.
Labor has, sadly, been here before in recent years. This ground has been well tilled. Kevin Rudd was, quite rightly, a supporter of “a big Australia”. But this did not go down well in the focus groups. So Julia Gillard launched an assault on 457 visas inspired by her political adviser, John McTernan, who just happened to be a British citizen on a 457 visa.
Shorten also went in search of votes lost to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation with a TV ad three years ago. Shorten railed against foreign workers while next to an all-white group of Australians looking sad about lost jobs. He then stood next to giant-sized text that read: “EMPLOY AUSTRALIANS FIRST: BILL SHORTEN AND LABOR”. It, too, was appalling stuff.
Anthony Albanese was quick to condemn Shorten’s ad. He said it was a “shocker” and “not the sort of ad I want my party to be promoting”. Albanese was right. Labor introduced the vast post-war immigration program. So why has he not condemned Keneally for reviving this vile “Australians First” rhetoric?
It is no wonder the dogs are barking about Albanese’s lacklustre leadership. Labor MPs privately say his criticism of Morrison, the pandemic response and the national cabinet have been over the top; they cringe at his question time performances; and question the lack of policy development and party renewal. Remember the “headland” speeches that were to outline a new Labor vision? Neither do I.
It is Albanese’s hypocrisy that galls many Labor MPs and party members. Having spent decades railing against the right faction for stitching up preselections, he did just that by endorsing Kristy McBain as Labor’s candidate for the Eden-Monaro by-election. He endorsed her and even campaigned with her in Queanbeyan before preselection nominations closed. So much for due process.
The by-election is a critical test for Albanese and he knows it. It is why he claimed underdog status. But this is absurd and should have no credence. It is a Labor-held seat. No opposition has lost a by-election to the government in a century. By-elections have been held during wars, natural disasters and economic crises. There should be no excuses for Labor if it happens to lose its own seat.
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It takes a certain level of chutzpah for an immigrant like Kristina Keneally to lecture Australians about the need to restrict immigration.