Coronavirus: Aussies-first rhetoric must stop in immigration debate, says Anne Aly

Labor MP Anne Aly calls for change of language as Kristina Keneally criticised for using ‘Australians first’ rhetoric.

Labor Immigration and Citizenship spokeswoman Kristina Keneally. Picture: AAP

Labor MP Anne Aly has called for a change of language in the immigration debate as Kristina Keneally comes under criticism for using “Australians first” rhetoric when pushing for an overhaul of the ­migration system.

Dr Aly, a migrant from Egypt, said Senator Keneally had some “extremely valid points” in calling for a review of the migration program but conceded that the opposition home affairs spokes­woman’s ­argument “could have been expressed better”.

“We have got a history in Australia of talking about immigration in relation to ‘the wogs have got all the houses, they are going to take our jobs, we are going to be invaded, there is overcrowding’. And to blame all of that on immigration.

“We need to stop that,” Dr Aly told The Australian.

“We need to have a separate discussion around population growth and a separate discussion about immigration. I don’t like the conflation of those issues.”

Labor MPs were stunned by Senator Keneally’s weekend opinion piece in the Nine newspapers that called for an overhaul of immigration policies after the COVID-19 pandemic. Declaring Australian workers could be harmed or helped by migration, Senator Keneally had particular criticism for the high numbers of temporary workers. “We must make sure that Australians get a fair go and a first go at jobs,” Senator Keneally wrote. “Our post-COVID economic recovery must ensure that Australia shifts away from its increasing reliance on a cheap supply of overseas, temporary labour that undercuts wages for Australian workers.”

Former NSW premier Bob Carr urged Senator Keneally to drop her “jobs for Australians first” rhetoric, declaring the “very loose” language showed signs of dog-whistling.

Former NSW premier Bob Carr. Picture: AAP

Mr Carr, who said Sydney was “full” when he was premier in 2005, said the debate on immigration should be “kept to an argument about numbers”.

“I would drop all references to jobs for Australians first,” Mr Carr told The Australian. “That is very loose rhetoric and it could have been invoked at any time in our history against migration. That is not what the argument is about — the argument is about numbers.

“It has got tones of that (dog-whistling). It is not what the argument is about. The argument is about pressure on our cities.

“The argument for a bigger and bigger Australia with very ambitious targets is a lazy argument from the manufacturing era. We no longer have car plants and old-fashioned steel mills. Our cities are stressed. Infrastructure can’t keep up. Well before this pandemic, there was a strong case for winding back the annual intake to more manageable levels.”

While there were some MPs who thought Senator Keneally’s language was jingoistic, others were perplexed about the timing of her demand for a review, given international borders are unlikely to open until next year.

The Australian has been told Senator Keneally’s opinion piece was cleared by Anthony Albanese’s office, although it is not official Labor policy and was not discussed by shadow cabinet.

Victorian senator Kim Carr said he was a supporter of a large immigration program “which has been the backbone of our economic growth for nearly three decades … We need a balanced immigration program that concentrates on younger, high-skilled workers, but immigration creates jobs, it doesn’t take jobs.

“That has been the longstanding position of the Labor Party and we have to make sure the industrial rights of immigrant workers are protected.”

Labor MP Chris Hayes, who represents the multicultural western Sydney seat of Fowler, said there should be a priority on training Australians rather than importing foreign workers.