South Australia's Liberals Want More Overseas Workers

09 Jan 2014

The opposition party in South Australia has promised that it will promote the state as an appealing migration destination in countries that have strong family and cultural connections with Australia. This will increase the number of migrants to South Australia.

Steven Marshall, the opposition leader says the Liberals want to initiate population growth and will ask the Australian federal government to give preferential migration status to South Australia if the March state election is won by the Liberals.

He said that a Liberal government will establish policies to persuade more youngsters to stay back in South Australia, and to bring more people from overseas and from other parts of Australia.

Among the policies will be a growth in funding for multicultural groups who help new migrants to South Australia in settling into the local communities.

Mr. Marshall told reporters that to grow Australian economy and jobs, then it is necessary to increase the population of Australia.

He added that taking a look at all the writing on this issue, shows us that population growth actually creates jobs and doesn't take jobs.

Mr. Marshall has also promised that the Liberal government will cut waiting times for visas and will work with the business sector to analyze skill shortages which can be filled by employer-sponsored immigrants.

He says that boosting the population of South Australia boosts the state's productivity and that is the reason it is necessary to encourage more people to study, live and work in South Australia.