Proposed immigration changes announced by Opposition Leader Angus Taylor today would undermine the fairness, equal opportunity and the belief in a fair go that underpin Australia's already robust migration system, according to national non-profit SSI.
The Opposition's newly released immigration platform would embed discrimination into a system that has, for decades, been deliberately designed to be non‑discriminatory and values‑based, said Violet Roumeliotis, the CEO of SSI, which supports migrants and refugees beginning new lives in Australia.
"Australians do not want to import poor and polarising practices we've seen in the US, like ICE-style enforcement and pre-arrival social media screening. We don't want overseas immigration tactics that rely on fear, punishment and division," she said.
"Social cohesion is under pressure in Australia, and this rhetoric only worsens it."
Australia's migration framework already includes strong values expectations, rigorous security screening and clear requirements around law‑abiding conduct.
"This system has been operating for a long time, under both Coalition and Labor governments. We can and should improve it, but only by building on its strong foundations.
"A fair, non‑discriminatory system is non‑negotiable. Every person should be assessed on their individual merit. It should not matter where someone comes from, what language they speak or which country they were born in."
Proposals to introduce subjective 'values tests' or expand enforcement through ICE‑style taskforces fundamentally miss the mark on where reform could genuinely benefit Australians.
"For example, one of the most pressing issues we're seeing in our migration settings is about responding to skills shortages. Addressing this issue should be the focus of our migration debate, not stoking culture wars," she said.
Ms Roumeliotis said SSI strongly condemns the targeting of vulnerable cohorts, including people arriving from Gaza, who have already been subjected to extensive security screening and unique vetting processes.
