Labor’s Kristina Keneally Slammed Over Push To Cut Migration Following COVID-19
"We must make sure that Australians get a fair go and a first go at jobs," she wrote.
By now, migrants are pretty used to copping it from both sides of politics.
The latest politician to set them in her sights is Kristina Keneally — herself a migrant from the US — who has nevertheless written a hot take arguing that we need to cut migration in order to protect Aussie jobs in a post-COVID world.
The Labor senator for NSW wrote an editorial for the Sydney Morning Herald over the weekend under the headline, “Do We Want Migrants To Return In The Same Number? The Answer Is No”.
It’s pissed off a lot of people, apart from those who are predictably aroused by any argument that blames migrants for their problems.
"… and it's time for me to do the same" pic.twitter.com/A5zm8TjUmJ
— Pat Caruana (@patbcaruana) May 3, 2020
Basically, Keneally’s argument is that our high levels of migration in past years has been a “lazy approach” to boosting the economy. She argued we need to rethink our immigration policy and cut our currently uncapped temporary visa program to protect Australian jobs after COVID-19.
In a line straight out of the Hanson handbook, Keneally wrote that the government must make sure “Australians get a fair go and a first go at jobs”.
You can have immigration and strong labour laws. Together. At the same time.
— Josh Bornstein (@JoshBBornstein) May 3, 2020
“Our post-COVID-19 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 and takes jobs Australians could do,” she wrote.
“While Australia’s high level of migration played a key role in our economic prosperity, in recent years the shape and size of our intake has hurt many Australian workers, contributing to unemployment, underemployment and low wage growth.”
But people are calling her out for being a bit of a hypocrite — as the Shadow Minister for Home Affairs she’s often criticised Peter Dutton for pandering to a far-right, anti-immigration base.
You know the old saying “If you can’t beat them, pander to harmful preconceived notions and do whatever you need to for electoral success, even if you look like a hypocrite while doing so.”
I might be misremembering it.
— Jack Boddeke (@Two_legs_Jack) May 3, 2020
This is a really shit take and a blatant dog-whistle.
Instead of blaming migrants for wage conditions, why not actually pursue wages policy like an actual workers party?
e.g. sector-wide bargaining, beefing up FairWork, tackling wage theft, allowing unions to audit pay slips.
— Jamie Bosanko (@banjoeskimo) May 3, 2020
Yeah the 457 visa scheme is deeply flawed, and we can definitely reform the way we welcome and settle new migrants, but the rhetoric she’s adopting is clearly dog-whistling.
— Jonathan Sri (@jonathan_sri) May 3, 2020
But aside from that, they’re also kinda shocked that this stance would be taken by someone who is themselves an immigrant — Kristina was born in American and didn’t permanently move to Australia until she was in her mid-20s.
Although, in the article she drew a distinction between permanent migrants — people who Australian can be “proud of” — and temporary migrants who are “younger and lower skilled”.
I’m really disappointed in this take as a fellow American immigrant to Australia, and someone who has looked up to your policies. You were in the same position as I am now, which is trying to navigate the migrant experience. Even for us white, English speakers, it’s not easy.
— Maxwell (@LostTreasurePod) May 3, 2020
Somewhat oxymoronically, she ended the piece by stating that Australia is the most successful multicultural nation on earth.
“It can stay that way in a post-COVID-19 world, but only if our migration program changes and responds to the current economic crisis to support Australians to get back to work in secure, well-paid jobs.”