Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Australia's economic growth is built on migration. This reliance on migrants, both skilled and unskilled, is not a coincidence. It is the backbone of our community and our economy, yet we still hear the tiresome base-level arguments. They are not taking jobs. They are filling gaps, creating new markets and sustaining our entire service economy. Can the government please outline what economic benefits migrants bring to Australia?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Tyrrell for the question and for the heads-up that she was going to ask a question around Australia's migration settings and policies and the economic benefit that comes from having a country that has been enriched and whose economy has been supported by a strong and mainly tripartisan or multipartisan approach to utilising the skills and capabilities of—

Lights in the chamber having flickered

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, please continue.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Filling workforce shortages and gaps, increasing the skills available for businesses, driving productivity and innovation, increasing and contributing to significant economic growth, enhancing business and entrepreneurship and increasing consumer demand are all things that support the continuation of a strong, sustainable migration policy.

In fact, Senator Tyrrell, you often asked me questions in this place about health care and Medicare when I was repping that portfolio. I think, where we have demand for skills that far outstrips the ability to supply those, anyone who goes into a hospital or an aged-care facility or, in fact, many of those industries that support care across our economy will see migrants there who've been brought in under various programs to support the delivery of services to the Australian community. If you look at doctor shortages or if you look at nursing shortages in allied health and the care economy more broadly, these jobs are critical to supporting our economy, our economic growth and our productivity agenda. Without migrants coming in on a sustainable program—and, as we have noticed in the last few years, net overseas migration has actually declined more than 40 per cent— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Tyrrell, first supplementary?

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our ageing demographic means we are critically dependent on new blood and new skills. As we face an ageing population, we will need migration to support our aged-care sector and provide quality care. Can the government please outline how essential migrants are to our care sector?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Tyrrell. I really do appreciate a question that doesn't seek to demonise migrants coming into this country. It is a refreshing change, I think, and a different approach to the one that has been taken by others in this place.

In relation to aged care, it is essential that we are able to staff all of the care requirements that people need, whether that be in their homes or in aged-care facilities, or for those requiring more acute care in the hospital setting. We know that, over the last financial year, 21,000 healthcare workers came into Australia on skilled visas. That gives you a sense of the magnitude. Those 21,000 obviously will complement the skills of the experienced staff that we have working here as citizens, not on those visa arrangements. That gives you a sense of the magnitude, and this is going to continue. We know from all of the projections that we are going to need to continue to attract migrants in order to help us cover these job opportunities.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Tyrrell, second supplementary?

Tammy Tyrrell (Tasmania, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We know for a fact that migration is boosting our economy and is keeping our care sector afloat. Can the government please explain what detriment to the economy a net zero migration policy for five years would cause for our economy, as proposed by One Nation?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It would have a very substantial impact on our economic growth, but it would also, importantly, have a very, very significant effect on the services that Australians seek and need, not only in the care economy. I have yet to find a business in this country—when I've done roundtables and all the rest of it—that has sought to have a policy such as the one that One Nation are arguing for. If anything, business is arguing for more intake in particular visa categories in order to fill the very significant shortages there are, whether it be in health and community care or, indeed, in construction or in engineering or in IT. All of those businesses would seek further increase in the intake. Certainly, no-one would be arguing for net zero.