Dutton must similarly feel uncomfortable in going down this populist path, an economically populist and seemingly left leaning path but he seems to be on a winner if only by a nose, which is all that separates Albo and Dutton anyway.

And if we had a smaller, more targeting migration program then we could use temporary migration until people start completing their TAFE courses and can enter the industry without exacerbating issues like housing. But that’s not our migration program is designed to do. It’s designed to grow the pool of consumers. How many more yoga teachers do we need?

“There are genuine shortages in some industries, but of course, instead of investing in training and education we’re resorting to population pumping.”

The big shortages are in techies, tradies, health support – shortages that TAFE level training/education best addresses. Labor is providing 465,000 fee-free TAFE places and invested $50 million in TAFE facility upgrades.

Until that boost starts churning out work-ready workers immigration has to plug the gaps. It takes time.

By ‘they’ do you mean the Greens, or Labor, or the Coalition??

How so?

Meanwhile they will be corporate Australia’s best friends by being the worst Big Australia shills in our political system. The environment weeps.

It’s rank populism to garner more votes from above median age voters and working age, like Brexit and Trump, to then open the door for budget, service deivery and tax cuts.

This is actually factually correct. And the migration debate is part of the broader issue of where the Left have abandoned the working class, which is why people are fleeing to populists.

I agree, and then the Coalition try to mangle any worker rights in industrial relations and lower minimum wages so as to allow employers to suppress wages to shift more revenue to profits. Again, the Coalition, and indeed the small business association itself, push a myth that this has a negative effect on small business.
“Indeed, some restaurants pass on the higher costs to consumers — and the small price increases are not enough to drive consumers away, Reich said. The owners benefit further because higher wages mean less turnover, as well as less advertising and training for new workers. In the end, their profits are not harmed.”
Even in small businesses, minimum wage hikes don’t cause job losses, study finds – Berkeley News

I share your confidence.

The Libs attitude will quickly revert to “but, it’s the free market.”