Australia has embarked on another of its regular, angst-ridden debates about its immigration programme. Prime Minister John Howard recently floated proposals to raise the hurdles for migrants and long-term visitors to Australia, and his ideas have implications for those Chinese and other Asians who see Australia as a potential new home. Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration Andrew Robb added to the debate by saying immigrants should sit a formal citizenship test to show that they are 'ready to fully participate in the Australian community'. To become an Australian citizen, immigrants must develop English skills that allow them to communicate effectively and 'have a good sense of the Australian way of life, our shared values, customs and history', he said. Then a more radical suggestion was heard from the man who wants to become Australia's next prime minister, Australian Labor Party leader Kim Beazley. He said immigrants, visitors (such as Chinese students studying in Australia) - and even tourists - should have to pledge to uphold Australian values when they enter the country. He has since backed away from forcing tourists to sign such a pledge, but his announcement had right-wing radio announcers jumping for joy. One, Alan Jones, used his influential Sydney radio programme to laud Mr Beazley's proposal. 'There is no issue more important out there at this moment than the question of the surrender of Australian values,' he told his audience. This latest incarnation of Australian disquiet about its immigration programme is essentially being driven by the 'war on terror'. Mr Howard has taken aim recently at some Muslim immigrants to Australia who, he says, are not embracing the Australian way of life. But Mr Beazley's reaction is a case of knowing that the prime minister's tactics - accusing non-Anglo migrants of being 'un-Australian' - play well with many voters. For China, the mooted shifts in Australia's immigration policy over the past few days are potentially problematic. From a purely practical and compassionate perspective, any requirement to make migrants pass an English language test and study Australian values may well rule out the possibility of thousands of older Chinese joining their younger family members. Then there is the potential economic impact. Australia, with an ageing and declining population, needs more skilled workers to ensure economic growth. Many of these will come from nations such as China. If Australia sets the hurdles too high, then many such workers will simply head to countries where it is easier to get in. Australia - once the home of the White Australia policy, which effectively banned Asian immigration - has embraced a policy of multi- culturalism over the past three decades. Mr Howard and Mr Beazley would argue that, through their proposals, they are not seeking to turn the clock back - but to ensure that multi- culturalism does not undermine social and cultural cohesion in Australia. The question is, however, whether Australia's key source for immigrants in the Asian region - and China is perhaps the most important of those - see it that way. Or will they perceive that Australia is going through another of its periods of fear about the ethnic composition of its society? After all, it is only 10 years ago this month since a neophyte politician named Pauline Hanson rode a wave of popularity at home, and created headlines around Asia, when she said there were too many Asian migrants in Australia. Greg Barns is a political commentator in Australia and a former Australian government adviser
