The Shadow Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs met with more than 25 members of the Global Adelaide network yesterday, representing the majority of South Australian industry. Representatives attending the meeting came from industries including hospitality, aged care, building, construction, mining, energy, primary producers, urban and regional development and more, to discuss pressing challenges faced by South Australian businesses in in their workforce, unable to be met due to challenges with the structure of the Australian immigration program. The dialogue shed light on skill shortages, workforce development, and the need for a more targeted approach to addressing these through targeted immigration policy. Amid concerns over immigration policy alignment, the meeting underscored the importance of tailored reforms to bolster business growth with local skills development and education designed to support those sectors needing it most.
Mark Glazbrook, representing Global Adelaide, set the stage by outlining the primary focus of the gathering – to unravel the intricate challenges that South Australian businesses encounter within the immigration landscape. The central point of contention was the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT), an issue emblematic of the broader struggle with attracting and retaining the right skill sets in various sectors to regional areas of South Australia.
In his opening remarks, the Hon Dan Tehan articulated his aspiration for a more purposeful immigration strategy. He acknowledged past successes and failures in government policies and expressed the need for a reformed approach that aligns with Australia’s future needs. The Minister voiced his vision for leveraging immigration to address skill shortages, particularly outside major urban centres, while lamenting the current TSMIT arrangement and disproportionate influence of unions. He underlined the importance of regional development and championed the proper use of Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) to channel migration to areas experiencing acute skill gaps.
Representatives from diverse sectors echoed concerns about the impact of immigration policies on their industries. These included difficulties posed by the cap on student visa working hours, limitations in the working holiday maker rules and changes to the PALM scheme which were likely to significantly impact Australian food production. Another area of concern was that approved employers were not prioritised in the processing of their associated employee visas, which was a similar story for those seeking to establish innovative businesses in South Australia. A number of industry organisations highlighted skills shortages accentuated by a lack of recognition of overseas qualifications. Education was an area of discussion whereby university courses aligned with industry needs would assist in filling future skills requirements. While regions struggled to find appropriate people to fill vacancies, their declining population also meant that critical infrastructure did not allow or facilitate business and industry, nor those working in them, with transportation and housing being two areas for improvement. The discussion also centred on the domino effect of policy changes in one sector affecting another.
The Shadow Minister acknowledged the richness of insights shared by the diverse range of stakeholders. The conversation illuminated the need for targeted immigration policies that align with specific industry requirements. He underlined the necessity to shift focus from a ‘big Australia’ approach to a more strategic one. He advocated for identifying skill shortages and directing immigration efforts towards meeting those specific needs, citing examples from the hospitality and retail sectors. The exchange of ideas and perspectives in this gathering will serve as a foundation for future policy discussions and informed decisions, aimed at fostering sustainable economic growth and workforce development in South Australia.