Those dastardly immigrants

I understand that a large number of Australians have expressed concern about both the high levels of immigration and the large numbers of boat people arriving.

Or that is the conventional wisdom based on the stories being put about by the right wing media. Vested interests? Truthful? Dunno - but I suspect that real and comprehensive analysis hasn't been done - it's more like a collection of opinions from people on the street or News limited staffers that are used to create these headlines.

I believe the real issue driving these concerns is somewhat different - and it comes from that dreaded 457 visa.

It's quite simple really, Australians have seen their jobs disappear at the same rate that the 457 visa and associated programmes expanded.

Using the pretext of a "skills shortage" the business community have pushed hard to expand these obnoxious programmes that have replaced Australians with imported workers - often at greatly reduced salaries.

The effect is to displace local workers and to set a lower standard of remuneration and conditions for similar roles. There is plenty of evidence of this across a range of industries - if one cares to look.

Just this morning on ABC radio there were more "vested interests" pushing this line across the agricultural industry?

Its just BS - has always been BS and will forever be BS.

My belief is that this is the reason we are seeing such high levels of concern amongst Australian's about immigrants and boat people - because they are fearful of losing their jobs and livelihood.

And it also shows how big business has almost total control over our parliaments, political parties and their processes.

Howard started the 457 visa scam, expanded it greatly and then introduced WorkChoices - all at the insistence of big business.

Rudd should have abolished it when be became Prime Minister. Instead it continues with minor amendments and now we find that business is trying to loosen it up again to satisfy their greed.