in focus 26 july 2010
National Monday Update Issue:
We are off and running for Election 2010 (or are we?)
Every election campaign has its own character and after a week of campaigning in 2010, many of us find ourselves somewhat bemused as both parties try desperately to create a point of difference on a number of issues where there is little difference between their respective pitches. It seems that in 2010 everyone is an economic conservative, an advocate for a small Australia and committed to action on climate change (but cannot tell us how or when).
The 2010 election is not a conventional campaign as Australia’s first female Prime Minister seeks to avoid becoming Australia’s shortest-serving Prime Minister and the Opposition leader tries to improve on a 30% approval rating with Australia’s female population. All of this against a backdrop where the cut and thrust of the leader’s debate had to be moved to ensure it was not crushed in the mortar and pestle of the MasterChef finale.
Unfortunately, both parties have been guilty of wilfully mixing three different and independent elements of the immigration debate as they seek to make a populist pitch to voters feeling crowded and underserviced in the outer metropolitan suburbs of Australia. Promises of a small Australia and drastically reduced immigration programs are a poor substitute for addressing border protection, housing affordability and under-investment in transport infrastructure. Attempts to neutralise these domestic challenges by mixing asylum-seekers, immigration and population targets will not serve Australia well.
A sustainable Australia will require continued investment in skills and knowledge, an investment that must be underpinned by skilled migration to ensure that the economic and social development of our communities continues. A robust General Skilled Migration program with links to our education and training system and robust labour market forecasts will ensure that Australia’s future skills needs will be met. A race to the bottom where the winner is the party with the smallest migration program does not serve the country well in the eyes of our regional neighbours and trading partners nor will it provide for the continued economic growth that our political leaders crave.
There was one announcement relevant to the skills agenda this week, the ALP’s commitment to establish National Trade Cadetships designed to provide a new pathway into the trades and provide technical skills for Australian school students. How much difference $1.5m per year will make for the 220,000 Australian students already undertaking VET in Schools programs is hard to judge.
As I foreshadowed earlier this week ACPET is committed to keeping Members informed of how the election is progressing and regular updates on policy announcements and other issues will be forwarded directly to members and loaded onto our 2010 Election microsite. I encourage you to use the resources that ACPET has developed and contact your local MP and candidates to put forward your views. You can access ACPET election page by clicking here. (requires Member login)
Please do not hesitate to contact me (Andrew [dot] Smith [at] acpet [dot] edu [dot] au (click to email )Andrew [dot] Smith [at] acpet [dot] edu [dot] au (Andrew Smith)) to discuss any of the above or to provide your ideas and input into the ongoing development of the Council.