English Cat1(Immigration) Year12 Essay, Research Paper

The controversy surrounding and restricting the number of immigrants allowed into Australia

each year has flared erratically since Australia opened it s gates to immigrants in the post world

war II period. The issue simmered through the lower part of 1998 when the federal government

once again considered acceptable numbers to be allowed into Australia in the near future. The

issue was greeted with a wide ranging debate with in the media via editorials, letters to the editor

and feature articles which often sparked emotional responses with in the community.

Gerard Henderson convincing article Time for Howard to change track (Sydney Morning

Herald 20/10/98) looks at the New Zealand approach to increase the amount of migrants allowed

into the country each year and criticizes John Howard for not following the same note. A

sensible tone is used which is not too one sided and looks at some negative affects of

immigration. Although Henderson continually appears to look at the efficient way in which

Jenny Shipley s (New Zealand Prime Minister) add to immigration has helped the New Zealand

Economic structure. While trying to make us realise our economy must grow words like boost

and increasing are used appropriately to suggest that why doesn t the Australia government

add to immigration levels to improve our standard of living. Through out the article Henderson

presses to make it look like John Howard is in the wrong by using accusations from the past

when Paul Keating called Howard a Racist . This successfully suggests for in the reader that

this could possibly be why he wants less immigrants. During the second half of the article a

number of professional people(Ian Forster, writer of the book Myths and realities and Dr. Bob

Birrell, Director Of Immigration Reform) are brought in to add greater credibility to the point he

is trying to make about extra immigration. Statements are then used such as the evidence that

immigration has been generally beneficial for the Australian Economy to keep the view point

strong and continues drawing the reader into believing the writer s opinion. The article ends by

making reference to how immigration open Australia up to the world this is to let us know

immigration can only be positive. This closure is intended to make one last attempt at drawing

the reader into agreeing with the writer s point of view.

On Friday the 12th of February 1999 a series of articles appeared under the tittle Open to the

World on page 19 of the Herald Sun. A sub heading There s Room for more clearly stated and

made clear to the reader from the very start that writer DR John Nieuwenhuysen was driving for

more migrants to be allowed into Australia. In a persuasive tone the article confronts the reader

with the added benefits of immigration, and pushes the idea that migrants have to be accepted

into society for a greater nation. This is done firmly with some powerful phrases such as We

can t shut our selves of to the rest of the world and Immigration will have favorable effects .

This is effective and minimizes the impact of any objections. During the article the Dr.

sarcastically by using rhetorical questions stating arguments used declining immigration

increases such as Why can t Australia afford new people and how are migrants taking

Australian jobs . The writer then opposes these reasons and contradicts them with his own

theories and other peoples research on how immigration helps Australia. Words that make

Australia seem lonely with are used such as solitude, barren and isolation these make

Australia seem as if with out immigration our population rate will decrease and the land will

become shut off from the rest of the world. The article finishes with a reference to weather

Australia wants to live in the past or open her self to the world. This last comments added by the

writer just finalizes in the readers mind that Australia is definitely better of with more

immigrants.

A letter written by Sheila Ryan of Bridgeport Tasmania appeared just after the Open to the

world articles of the Herald Sun on the 12th of February 1999. The letter headed ALP s Migrant

increase unsustainable attacks the Labor plan for an increase in immigration. In a desperate

tone Ryan blames Labor for not thinking about the high unemployment level and struggling

small businesses that will suffer with the extra population. She also uses a passionate link of

phrases such as hearts of are young are bleeding . This is done to add extra feeling to the letter

and try and draw the reader into and agree with the emotion she is feeling for the issue. During

the letter the reader is confronted with a number of problems concerning extra migrants coming

into the country. This adds to the tactic of using words that create vivid images such as flood,

rise, saturating . These words seem to create the scene of immigrants pouring into our already

crowded society, a society that opposes greater immigration and causing havoc. The final

challenging question continues an endearing attack asking Martin Ferguson(liberal immigration

minister). about an improved national job creation scheme that envelopes some of our

unemployed residents not unwanted immigrants. This last question leaves you wondering as the

reader why bring more immigrants into Australia and cause problems when there are plenty of

Australians who need jobs.

Still the immigration fight continues with in the media to weather or not extra migrants should

be allowed into our country. The hype quieted down for a little while during the end of 1998,

until Victorian Premiere Jeff Kennett made a statement that Australia must have more migrants

to boost the economy so we may be able to compete with other migrants. So this situation seems

to be a never ending battle going nowhere and just something the media like to make a big deal

about.

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