AS new Federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, One Nation’s Pauline Hanson and outspoken Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price once again turn immigration into a political football, former refugees and migrants on the Coffs Coast – and their children – are getting on with contributing to business, healthcare, agriculture and other critical services.
State Nationals MP for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh, said that while immigration is an often-controversial topic, the nation needs to have a sensible, fact-based discussion about the appropriate level of migration.
“The Coffs Harbour region has seen many waves of migrants over time,” he said.
“From British settlers in the 1800s, later to Italians and Indians, and more recently, people from every corner of the world.
“Anyone who takes this debate seriously knows migration can’t be zero, and can’t be an open border – every responsible country sets a number.
“The issue is whether that number reflects our current capacity and right now, it doesn’t.
“Until housing supply and essential services catch up, the intake could be reduced to a more sustainable level.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, when opening a new Chinese museum in Sydney last Sunday, pointed out that with the exception of First Nations peoples, all Australians are “either migrants or descendants of migrants who come to this country to make a better life.”
On the Coffs Coast, businesses from coffee shops to aged care facilities employ migrants and refugees.
Regional areas also rely on steady streams of backpackers, Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme workers, and migrant professionals such as doctors and engineers.
Htun Htun Oo is well-known to many Coffs Harbour residents.
Originally from Mandalay, Myanmar, he was studying geology in 1988 when his involvement in student protests forced him to flee.
He spent 12 years with resistance fighters in the jungle and trained as a paramedic, later specialising in the study of trauma and war casualties at Tromsø University, Norway.
After meeting his now former partner, he moved to Australia.
Mr Oo joined Bellingen SES and volunteered at a Bellingen nursing home and the community garden.
He worked in Bellingen and Coffs hospitals for 16 years, but after spinal surgery to remove a tumour, decided to start a small business to become financially self-sufficient.
He and his wife celebrate eight years in business in March.
“Us migrants have always put in more than we take,” he said, while noting that he never received a cent from his sponsoring family or the Australian Government.
He has supported himself while also working with local migrants and raising four children, the eldest of which is a probationary police officer.
Mr Oo said he knows many local migrants who work hard to succeed, and have taught their children the value of education so that they can become doctors, scientists and other professionals.
“We have been warmly accepted by the community and want to continue to contribute.
“Our values are Australian values, which is why we came here.”
By Andrew VIVIAN
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