Election 2008: What’s At Stake?

The United States is the country most identified with immigration, but it is not the only destination of people fleeing poverty or oppression in their native land. A recent story in The Australian shows that immigrants to that country face some of the same challenges as America’s immigrants. The town of Robinvale, in the Australian state of Victoria, has seen a recent influx of Southeast Asian immigrants, who come to pick fruit and work toward a better life. But many are illegal, and they have little recourse against abusive labor practices.

Ethnic contractors are supplying gangs of agricultural labourers, whose presence is changing the face of rural Australia… Twenty-seven nationalities are said to be in the town, one aspect of a phenomenon that heralds the future of regional Australia… But experience in Robinvale reveals that Australia is creating a sub-class of workers unable to appeal to the authorities, whatever happens.

The workers live in crowded conditions, and they are paid sub-standard wages. They also live in fear of being reported to immigration authorities—and raids on farms are a frequent occurrence. It sounds familiar.