Regional Migration
Letter to the Editor - Sydney Morning Herald
15 January 2004
Dear Sir/Madam
Your editorial analysis of regional migration (Let the market decide location, 14/1/04) misses some important points.
State-specific and regional migration mechanisms are designed to help state and territory governments achieve their broader economic, social and environmental objectives. These objectives do not relate only to regional Australia.
It is wrong to say the mechanisms fail if migrants end up settling in cities.
The Victorian Government is seeking to increase the number of skilled migrants settling not only in regional Victoria, but also Melbourne. The current migration mechanisms support this.
Some other State Governments, including South Australia and Tasmania, have also included their capitals as areas covered by state-specific and regional migration mechanisms.
It is therefore not surprising that a proportion of new migrants settle in these capital cities.
In contrast, the NSW Government has made it clear that it wants to reduce the number of migrants settling in Sydney. The Australian Government is consulting with the NSW Government about ways this may be achieved.
Stewart Foster
Director
Public Affairs
DIMIA