In a letter to Bayanihan News dated 9 July 2013, the Leader of the Opposition Mr Tony Abbot argued with the announcement by the then Minister for Immigration Mr Brendan O’Connor that the skilled immigration program is being rorted. Full text of his letter to Bayanihan News
Dear Editor
Australia is country of migrants. We always have been we will always be.
It is my belief that migrants make outstanding Australians, because they come to this country with a dream to build a better future for themselves and their children.
The Labor Government should not be trying to whip up a fear campaign about 457 visas and skilled immigration.
It is a great disappointment that the very first action of Kevin Rudd following his swearing as Prime Minister was to allow the passage through Parliament of Julia Gillard’s flawed 457 legislation.
People who come to this country to work and pay taxes from day one are not stealing our jobs, they are building our nation.
Minister O’Connor has claimed the skilled migration program is being rorted – he is wrong. As a former Minister for Immigration, Chris Bowen said in 201, “anyone who tries to tell you the 457 visa program is not working, needs to take another look at the facts.”
My colleagues and I know that skilled migration has been good to Australia. It was good for Australia when the Howard government started it and it has been good to Australia when the current government continued it. It should not be tampered with. Labor is simply trying to divert attention from its border protection failures with 45,000 people arriving in more than 750 illegal boats since the middle of 2008.
A government that cannot stop people from coming to this country illegally and unsafely by boat is cracking down on people coming to this country legally and safely, and working and paying taxes from day one. Is it any wonder that ever decent Labor people are ashamed about this government.
The Coalition I reaching out to all Ausralians regardless of background, religion, or where they came from. It s a pity that the Rudd government is not doing the same.
Yours sincerely,
Tony Abbot