The welfare state is a honeypot for economic migrants and this is why many from Africa & the M/E bypass rich European countries and head for England. English language (ex Empire) is also a benefit EG: Algerians & ex-French Colonials prefer France.
The illegal cash economy attracts South Americans together with the prevalence of Spanish among the US Hispanics.
Family connections are also a drawcard.
Of course we also have Middle Class professional migration and for us that became evident when thousands of Aus ex-pats returned during Covid.
Initially Aus was buiolt on migration; first the forced migrants (convicts) then the farm labourers , then the Gold Diggers and yet more Farmers/farm labourers and then the assisted passage skilled workers.
And of course, after a few generations, we're all Aussies.
All Caucasian Aussies are decended from migrants, nearly 30% have been born overseas and nearly 50% have at least one parent born overseas.
My chief concern is not migrant welfare but rather Multinationals corporate welfare which robs the State of cash via profits going overseas (modern colonialism) leaving our Big 4 Banks (each over 70% foreign owned) to go overseas to borrow back the money so that we as a country can live beyond our means.
Not alone is the country mired in debt, individuals and households are worse off .......up to their proverbials in debt.
IMO: (a) Grow the economy How do we do that? -IMO grow the population and add value to our raw exports (b) Cut back on wasteful Government spending and divert the $5 billion of foreign aid to developing a better Australia for all (in one year $5 Billion would build an extra 10K homes...and that's only one year with the additional jobs and economic multiple a bonus.... (c) Develop Northern Australia (use it or loose it)
