Blog Topic #2: G'day, mate.

Australia Day.

This article http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/move-on-from-australia-day-debate-wyatt-20110126-1a57v.html from The Sydney Morning Herald speaks to the issue of whether Australia Day should retain that name, or move on. The people of the region have mixed feelings on the issue, as evidenced by the statement: 

"But I think also it's time to draw a line in the sand and we develop together as a nation because we share the same ground," Ken Wyatt, the first Aboriginal elected to the federal House of  Representatives said following a citizenship ceremony in his West Australian electorate of Hasluck. He believes that it is important to share the country, and learn to move on in this way.

There are, however, some that criticize the idea of "Australia Day" being celebrated on January 26th. They believe that this choice alienates many Aborigines, because it signifies the day the First Fleet arrived in Sydney Harbour and white settlement began. Mick Dodson has said as much, while 1984 Australian of the Year Lowitja O'Donoghue still refers to it as `Invasion Day'.

In a nutshell, Wyatt's conclusion was that Australia Day is about celebrating people from different cultures and backgrounds and quality of life enjoyed by Australians. 

This idea of culture and people differences is found in the textbook to be explained as "diverse demographic paths." There are various population-related issues that face residents of the region today. Multicultural Australia is dominated by its colonial European roots, but also has been affected by the country's multicultural character, which is becoming more visible through both native inhabitants and the varied immigrant population. These play roles in the society and culture of the region (p. 606).


Immigration.


This article http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/easier-visas-for-flood-rebuilders/story-e6frfku0-1225995610731 addresses the issue of funding for overseas employees helping with Queensland flood reconstruction. Prime Minister Julia Gillard has promised approval for visas of temporary employer-sponsored migrants who have joined the rebuilding effort. 


The government will establish a special Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) team, which will ensure quick turnaround of visa applications. (The median processing time for 457 visa applications is currently 18 days.) Personalized assistance will also be available for employers. DIAC is ensuring that these "special processing measures" are only available to employers that have a single goal in mind - reconstruction of Queensland. 

There has been an issue in the past, however, of employers allowing overseas workers to be exploited and removed job opportunities,  thereby pushing down the wages of Australian workers. This is why the Australian Council of Trade Unions urges the government to take care with this new measure. 

Australian Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said, "While we need to see more skilled workers in Queensland to ensure that reconstruction happens quickly, there must be safeguards against the kinds of exploitation of migrant workers we have seen in the past." 

P. 607-608 in the textbook address the idea of immigration, and how it affects Australia and the surrounding  region. Australian society has been changed forever by its immigrant mix, varying from people to people.