I have witnessed first hand how increasing immigration has changed the whole cultural fabric of existing communities, which only creates inter-racial and cultural tension. I'm not against immigration per se, but it should be at a more moderate level to allow harmonious integration with existing communities, rather than being a slave to growth. The other issue is our inability to keep up with the level of expenditure on infrastructure to service this population growth.
I was wondering how long it would before someone raised the race angle on this topic. There is always some bogeyman to scare the gullible. First it was reds under the bed and now its boat people. Its all designed to raise xenophobia levels and keep the red necks in power.
In Sydney I am not aware of any major problems with immigrants integrating into the community except the few that the Daily Telecrap manages to dredge up to keep xenophobia bubbling along.
Correct.
Those that complain the loudest about a lack of 'harmonious integration' are normally the ones least likely to do anything about it. They are least likely to employ a foreigner or befriend one at work to help them integrate. They are also least likely to befriend one outside of work. They are also least likely to acknowledge that they have done nothing to integrate harmoniously themselves, i.e. learn the didgeridoo or become fluent in the local native dialect. Hypocrites.
The failure of infrastructure to keep up has nothing to do with importing people as the issue would still remain if rapid population increases was solely due to organic growth. It was also an issue when population growth was much lower than today.
That's total BS! I live in a middle class area where reverse discrimination is in fact the case. You don't know what you're talking about.
Our shopping centre has been completely taken over by a new wave of immigrants over the past couple of decades, where foreign language signage predominates and English is at best an optional choice, in spite of Council regulations to the contrary. I feel like a foreigner in my own country and you expect me to just cop it in the name of multi-cultural political correctness?
The reality is that these new immigrant businesses rarely employ anyone other than their own kind, which is contrary to anti-discrimination legislation, but it's a one-way street, when it is applied to existing Australian businesses. It doesn't apply to them. The majority of these new businesses aren't interested in catering for the needs of what remains of the Anglo-Euro population, who are forced to go outside the area to shop.
Is it any wonder that long term locals, who are still a significant proportion of the population, feel pissed-off? Rather than the locals being obliged to fit in with the newcomers, it should be the reverse. We have our own culture and new arrivals should respect that, just as we should in migrating to another country.
I'm far from being a red-neck conservative and more likely the opposite, but even I can see how there is an underlying racial tension within communities where the overwhelming influx of immigration has created division and far from harmonious integration. This is exemplified throughout Europe with the rise of Far Right political movements because of uncontrolled immigration compromising existing cultures, and you can't blame them, which I don't want to see happen here. It's a legitimate concern, but unfortunately you're immediately branded as a racist for daring to speak out. The debate is all one-sided.
Granted, the failure of infrastructure to keep up with population increases due to organic growth would still be an issue, but it is exacerbated by an unrealistically high immigration intake.