Reply to: Australian Point System for Immigration

[lilelvis2000]

No you're quite right we don't need to, but the reason we have immigration is not driven by "wanting immigration" it's driven by people wanting to retire and still wanting to get on a bus somewhere because there is someone to drive it, or ring up a plumber and plumber comes because there is a plumber.

Very simple terms but that's why we have immigration. The Japanese have less immigration but 70 something year olds are perfectly happy to get up at 6 and go and do back breaking work in the fields. That's the way they are. Our 70 something year olds want to put their feet up, drink beer and read the Daily Mail. The Japanese save money and buy government bonds, the Brits squander on beer on foreign holidays, so we need immigrants to keep the businesses going to fund the shortfall.

In other words if you have an aging population provided the older people are happy to get up at 6 in the morning to keep the buses on the road and the strawberries in the Supermarket we can do away with immigration. You also need a population of young people not racking up massive personal debt. I just don't see that happening.

I knew it. It's the bankers fault. The need to keep people in debt and to keep building homes to mortgage.

[darmstadt]

unless you are cheap labour to line the pockets of the wealthy.

Or a kipper in search of a mail order bride

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

We are a much more crowded country and controls need to be stronger than the Australian system.

Bit of basic maths - you don't increase any average by adding more of average quality. Migrants increase GDP but if they increase population by the same or greater amount nobody is any better off and we just have more problems with supply of housing, schools etc. I would doubt that anyone with earnings potential of less than £40k helps us at all.

unless you are cheap labour to line the pockets of the wealthy.

[lilelvis2000]

Q:

'We want to emigrate to Australia, but can we afford to?' - Telegraph

A:

Business leaders issue last-ditch warning against Labour - Telegraph

Can you afford not to leave the UK?

Already brainwashing the kid to leave.. Mind you he's lucky as he also has Canadian Citizenship. I considered leaving him with my sister in Canada last holiday!

[DimPrawn]

Q:

'We want to emigrate to Australia, but can we afford to?' - Telegraph

A:

Business leaders issue last-ditch warning against Labour - Telegraph

Can you afford not to leave the UK?

[Flashman]

I don't think it works properly, give it a go...

As delivered by CapGemini, EDS or Fujitisu?

Never mind, nothing to see here...

[Flashman]

Everybody holds up Australia as the model.

Does that mean we will increase our immigration ?

Australia has a higher level of immigration than Britain.

Lets face it if we leave the EU and introduce an Australian system, we're still going to have the same number of immigrants, because most of the immigrants are coming over to take up jobs.

I would also challenge the premise that their immigrants are of a higher quality-.

http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Australia

As others have pointed out we have a points system anyway. I challenge anyone to prove that EU immigrants are of a lower quality than the others. The question you want to ask yourself is where does your plumber come from?

Not from the statistics that Australia has the same trends as the UK. That's because they too have an aging population with baby boomers now retiring.

Errmm see post no.1

[DodgyAgent]

The media makes no distinction so why blame people?

The Daily Mail who have a long history of demonizing immigrants, including those who are escaping from certain death, doesn't make that distinction. The broadsheets are either concerned with the economic benefits for business or are left wing. The TV media doesn't have the time as they risk people switching off.

BTW why are you bothering to reply to someone who doesn't think the UK is the BEST place to live in the world for everyone?

It does not matter what the mail says. A look at the dictionary will tell you that there is a difference between "immigrant" and "immigration". The debate is about immigration NOT immigrants.

[meridian]

More likely that when people live right next to people who are descendants of immigrants like the Royal Family, Boris Johnson etc, from elsewhere in the UK or immigrants themselves they realise people are just people.

Also supporting a party where the leader has German ancestors and an immigrant German wife who demonizes immigrants just makes no sense.

I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all reason here. I'm an immigrant, and people are not just people. There are economic migrants, asylum seekers, EU open border travellers, etc, and although they all have their different reasons for being here, they don't all contribute to the economy in the same way. I've lived in several countries that have points systems or other entry restrictions, and respect the way that they want to limit immigration to the truly needy (those escaping war zones) or the ones that will benefit and contribute as a net positive to the country.

I'd consider voting UKIP on their immigration policy, and some of their other policies aren't bad either, but I just can't see any of their candidates in charge of a chip shop let alone the country.

[BlasterBates]

Everybody holds up Australia as the model.

Does that mean we will increase our immigration ?

Australia has a higher level of immigration than Britain.

Lets face it if we leave the EU and introduce an Australian system, we're still going to have the same number of immigrants, because most of the immigrants are coming over to take up jobs.

I would also challenge the premise that their immigrants are of a higher quality-.

http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Australia

As others have pointed out we have a points system anyway. I challenge anyone to prove that EU immigrants are of a lower quality than the others. The question you want to ask yourself is where does your plumber come from?

Not from the statistics that Australia has the same trends as the UK. That's because they too have an aging population with baby boomers now retiring.

[d000hg]

Under their system the Australians get to decide the quantity and quality of immigrants.

Sounds reasonable enough to me. No wonder 70% of British people want it to. So why won't the LibLabCons make it happen?

If it's contingent on leaving the EU, which 70% of Brits don't want to do, then it's not possible as proposed. 70%+ of Brits would like to pay less tax and see more spent on the NHS but that's not realistic either.

[original PM]

I'm in favour of one unified planet with no borders and complete freedom of movement. Countries are obsolete. Borders are obsolete.

[SueEllen]

Is it a lack of intellect or downright bigotry that prevents people from seeing the difference between "immigrants" and "immigration" ?

The media makes no distinction so why blame people?

The Daily Mail who have a long history of demonizing immigrants, including those who are escaping from certain death, doesn't make that distinction. The broadsheets are either concerned with the economic benefits for business or are left wing. The TV media doesn't have the time as they risk people switching off.

BTW why are you bothering to reply to someone who doesn't think the UK is the BEST place to live in the world for everyone?

[DodgyAgent]

More likely that when people live right next to people who are descendants of immigrants like the Royal Family, Boris Johnson etc, from elsewhere in the UK or immigrants themselves they realise people are just people.

Also supporting a party where the leader has German ancestors and an immigrant German wife who demonizes immigrants just makes no sense.

Is it a lack of intellect or downright bigotry that prevents people from seeing the difference between "immigrants" and "immigration" ?

[SueEllen]

Errrmm perhaps the lack of English people in London and the below average UKIP support might just be more than a coincidence/

Could it also be that English people don't want to live in areas of high immigration and leave at the first opportunity?

More likely that when people live right next to people who are descendants of immigrants like the Royal Family, Boris Johnson etc, from elsewhere in the UK or immigrants themselves they realise people are just people.

Also supporting a party where the leader has German ancestors and an immigrant German wife who demonizes immigrants just makes no sense.