Rethinking Policy on Asylum Seekers and Migration
Come and hear John Menadue AO
Hosted by:
The event will start on: Tuesday, 06 March 2012 6:00 PM
And will end on: Tuesday, 06 March 2012 7:30 PM
At The Glover Cottages, Sydney
Posted by: nsw
Australia’s policy on asylum seekers and immigration can be a dividing force in Australian society. Yet it can be argued - and indeed has been acknowledged - that over the last century, immigration policy has made the principal contribution to Australia’s success and we can be counted as one of the world’s most successful multicultural nations.
For the Gillard government, however, Australia’s asylum seekers policy has been cited as one of its major failures. After ignoring the Australian Labor Party’s preference for on-shore processing, the Gillard government attempted to process all boat people at Christmas Island. When this proved to be a failure, the government then pursued the so-called Malaysian solution, which was declared illegal by the High Court.
On immigration, Labor has vacillated between the idea of a “Big Australia” and restricting the number of migrants, despite evidence of an increasing skills shortage.
To bring his knowledge and experience to this controversial issue, we are delighted to welcome John Menadue AO, whose many top level jobs in government and the private sector include a three year spell as secretary of the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs during a controversial period between 1980 and 1983.
John Menadue stills writes and broadcasts regularly on the key issues we shall address on March 6. He recently told the ABC he thought the Malaysia solution should be revived as a first step towards a regional solution and he wrote a blog on his web site advocating this.
He is perhaps best known for the period he spent as head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet from 1974 to 1976. He was closely involved in the events of November 11, 1975, and worked for prime ministers Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser. He was Australian ambassador to Japan from 1976 to 1980. In 1997, he received the Japanese Imperial Award, The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure (Kun-itto Zuiho-sho), the highest honour awarded to foreigners who are not head of state or head of government.
In the private sector, he has been general manager of News Limited and managing director of Qantas.
This will be a very special evening, so early bookings are essential.
Entry:
Members: $15.00; Concession members/students $10.00; Visitors $20.00
