THENEXUSBETWEENSECURITYANDMIGRATION

INAUSTRALIADRJIYOUNGSONG

DIRECTOR,MIGRATIONANDBORDERPOLICY

LOWYINSTITUTEFORINTERNATIONALPOLICY

EMAIL:JSONG@LOWYINSTITUTE.ORG

OUTLINE

• Thespiralmodelofinsecurity-migration-security:theory

• Australianmigrationprogrammes:who’recomingtoAustralia?

• CausesofmigrationtoAustralia:whyaretheycoming?

• Securityconcernsovermigrantsandimmigrants

• Policyresponsesandrecommendations

SPIRALMODELOFSECURITYANDMIGRATION

Securityinsendingcountries

•armedconflictsorcivilwars•systematicdiscrimination•poverty,underdevelopmentorlackofeducation•naturalormanmadedisasters

Transnationalmigration

•regulareconomicmigration•familymigration•humanitarianmigration•migrantsmuggling•humantrafficking

Securityinreceivingcountries

•borderprotectionandtransnationalcrimes•impactoneconomy•communitycohesion•publichealth

AUSTRALIA’SMIGRATIONPROGRAMME

WHATTHEPOLLSSAY

WHATTHEPOLLSSAY

MYTHSABOUTMIGRANTSANDIMMIGRANTS

• Myth#1:migrantsareterrorists• Myth#2:migrantsarecriminals• Myth#3:migrantsaretakinglocaljobs• Myth#4:migrantscarrydiseases

MYTH#1:MIGRANTSARETERRORISTS

MYTH#2:MIGRANTSARECRIMINALS– TRICKYONE!

• Asof30June2015,67%oftheAustralianpopulationaged17andoverwasAustralian-bornandthisgroupaccountedfor81%oftheprisonpopulation.Theonethird(33%)ofAustraliansbornoverseasaccountedfortheremaining18%ofprisoners.

• AstudyintheUK,areaswithrefugees/asylumseekersshowhigherinpropertycrimerates

MYTH#3:MIGRANTSARETAKINGLOCALJOBS

MYTH#4:MIGRANTSCARRYDISEASES

POLICYRESPONSE(1):OPERATIONSOVEREIGNBORDERS

• In2011-2013,25,492peoplewhoarrivedinillegalboats

• InSeptember2013,theAbbottgovernment'StoptheBoats'andintroducedOperationSovereignBorders(OSB)whichputthemilitaryincontrolofasylumoperations

• Asaresult,thenumberofillegalboatarrivalsinAustraliafellsignificantly

• DepartmentofImmigrationandBorderProtection(DIBP)grantedprotectionvisasto4,995illegalmaritimearrivals(IMAs)in2012-3,butthatdroppedtojust545in2013-4duetoacaponprotectionvisagrantsthatcameintoeffectinMarch2014

POLICYRESPONSE(2):OFFSHOREDETENTIONCENTRES

• AsofFebruary2016,1,379peopleweredetainedonNauruandManusIsland

• highlycost-ineffective.itcosts$1billionayear—morethanfivetimesthebudgetoffalloftheoperationsoftheUNHCRacrossSoutheastAsia

• $55milliontosetuparefugeecampinCambodia.AsatMay2016,threeofthefiverefugeesCambodiareceivedfromAustraliahadchosentoreturntoIranandMyanmar

TOP10SUBCLASS457NOMINATEDOCCUPATIONS

Rank Nominated Occupation (ANZSCO) 2005-06 2008-09 2011-12 2014-15 % increase/decrease 2005-06 to 2014-15

1 261312 Developer Programmer 906 991 2,028 2,485 174

2 351411 Cook 831 552 1,561 2,408 190

3 141111 Cafe or Restaurant Manager 180 301 636 2,037 1,032

4 225113 Marketing Specialist 765 953 1,440 1,557 104

5 261111 ICT Business Analyst Not listed Not listed 1,208 1,483 N/A

6 261313 Software Engineer 445 813 937 1,451 226

7 242111 University Lecturer 295 508 1,570 1,284 335

8 224711 Management Consultant 955 671 1,634 1,224 28

9 351311 Chef 1,027 1,186 872 1,176 15

10 253111 General Practitioner 976 1,775 1,407 1,133 17

CONCLUSION

migration

personalsecurity

communitysecurity

politicalsecurity

economicsecurityfoodsecurity

healthsecurity

environmentalsecurity

• Securitizationofmigration,heavilycriticised andnegativelyframed

• Humansecurity,abetterandmorecomprehensibleframeworkformigration

• ExtraordinarymeasuressuchasOSBcanbejustifiedifframedinamorehumanepeople-centred waywithalong-termdevelopmentandregionalcooperationinmind

• OSBandrefugeeprotectiongohandinhand