Well, the Coalition has appointed Queensland Senator Paul Scarr as its new spokesperson for Immigration. Now this is signaling a more empathetic and value-based approach to migration policy, and of course, as we know, Senator Scarr has a deep background in multicultural engagement. So, what will this mean for immigration when it comes to the future? And joining us on the line is Senator Paul Scarr. How are you, Paul?
Senator Scarr
Good. Damo, great to be with you and your listeners again.
Damien Lee
Congratulations on the new role. What motivated you to take up the Immigration portfolio?
Senator Scarr
This is a really important portfolio for Australia’s future. Damo, and I think you and all of your listeners would have been following the immigration debate over a number of years. In those first two years of the Labor Government, we saw net overseas migration hit extraordinary levels, and there’s been a lack of proper management by the government in relation to these issues. At the same time, I think when we’re discussing these issues, we need to understand that the issue isn’t with the particular people who are lucky enough to get visas to come into this country. it’s a question of government planning. It’s a question of the government’s policies in terms of making sure that the policies, the right policies, in terms of in terms of numbers, in terms of skills that Australia needs, etc, etc. So this is a very complicated issue, and I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to hold this position.
Damien Lee
And of course, when we were leading up to the election, we did see it being used as a political football where, you know, there was that animosity towards the immigrants who were coming into the country.
Senator Scarr
We need to be really careful when we have these discussions. And we need to have these discussions in relation to immigration. Of course, we need to have these discussions. The conduct of the discussion is really important. And from my perspective, in terms of government failures, in terms of policy, these are government failures. This isn’t the fault of the people who’ve come to this country looking to build a better life for themselves and their family, many of whom contribute in the outstanding way to our country, including in our regional areas, providing services and a workforce that is direly needed in many of our regional areas. And I think that’s it’s important point we’ve got to remember when we have these discussions.
Damien Lee
And of course, with the, you know, current government that’s back in power now. I mean, how do you plan to change that tone of of the conversation from the opposition benches?
Senator Scarr
Well, I think the time we’re having in this discussion between you and me, Damo, and your listeners, from my perspective, is the correct tone. We need to have this discussion, and we need to conduct it in a very respectful fashion. And the process I’m in at the moment is going around Australia, meeting different stakeholders, getting the best data and evidence that I can find, and that will put us in good stead in terms of preparing a suite of policies to take to the next election.
Damien Lee
And that’s going to be very important because, I mean, I know that values like freedom of religion, freedom of speech and association, I mean, those sorts of measures are very important, aren’t they?
Senator Scarr
This is one of the things that’s frustrated me about this debate on occasion, and that is many of the people who come to our country seeking a new life, they’ve come from places where they’re denied freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association. They’re denied opportunities to build a better life for themselves and their families. So from my perspective as a Coalition Senator, I think there’s a lot of values the Coalition has which are also shared by many members of our multicultural communities. And I think it’s up to people like myself and colleagues to have those communications with people who’ve come to this country. At the same time when we talk about Multiculturalism, it’s important to note that a foundational principle is that everyone who comes to this country should share our values in terms of rule of law, in terms of respecting the rights of others, in terms of no discrimination against anyone on the basis of their race, their ethnicity, their religion. And these are the fundamental core values of Australia. And I think it’s also important to reiterate that point,.
Damien Lee
Multiculturalism and immigration has always been a contentious issue. For grassroots , some grassroots Australians, they say they’re taking their houses, they’re taking this they’re taking jobs and leaving Australians out in the cold. I mean, how are you going to address that sort of sentiment within the communities?
Senator Scarr
It really is a question of getting the balance right and the tone right in the discussion. So concerns which are raised by people and rightly raised by people, with respect to the capacity of Australia to provide the housing for people and also to provide services to people, these are really important points. Damo, and I’m sure your listeners have views with respect to those issues. At the same time, we’ve got to recognize that a lot of the people who are working on our farms, a lot of the professionals in some of our regional centers, Australians who’ve come under our immigration policy and there are certain skills that this country needs, everything from carpenters to cardiac surgeons, which we have a shortage of, and those shortages are particularly pronounced in many of our regional areas. So it’s a question of getting the balance right in terms of the discussion and making sure everyone, the Australian community, has their voice heard.
Damien Lee
And I’m sure that many Australians would agree, you know, with you know, people who are fleeing war torn countries and finding or trying to find a better life within Australia. I mean, how could you refuse them?
Senator Scarr
Well, Damo, it’s the 50th Anniversary this year of the fall of Saigon in Vietnam to the communists, and that led to an influx of refugees from Vietnam who found a place in Australia, and over the last 50 years, they’ve made an outstandingcontribution to this country. So I think Australia does have a proud history in terms of providing an opportunity for people to seek safety and to build their lives and contribute to this country. At the same time, there are all those issues in relation to the capacity of our housing market, in relation to infrastructure, in relation to the provision of services, which also need to be considered. So it’s a question finding the right balance.
Damien Lee
The message we’re getting out there is that it’s not the fault of anyone who comes to this country trying to seek a better life, but you know, it is the fault of the government putting in the policies.
Senator Scarr
Well, it’s up to the government to actually set the policies in terms of our immigration intake. And Damo, can you believe we’re now in nearly at the end of July, and the government hasn’t formally released its immigration numbers to the year commencing one July, 2025, so we still haven’t gotten a formal indication from the government with respect to what the immigration numbers are for this financial year, which has already started. So it’s a portfolio which is not being managed well by the government, and that’s certainly something which the opposition will keep the government to account on.
Damien Lee
Well, we wish you all the very best. With the being the spokesperson for this immigration portfolio is certainly going to be a major undertaking for you, and one that’s certainly going to get you out there in the communities talking it up.
Senator Scarr
Absolutely, Damo, and I’m very keen to listen to the views of your list listeners, and my door’s always open.
Damien Lee
Fantastic, mate. We appreciate it, and we always look forward to catching up with you. We’ll do it some more. Thank you so much for joining us this morning.
Senator Scarr
Thanks, Damo.
