tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post2129421825103604371..comments2023-12-06T00:23:28.790+11:00Comments on Press gallery reform: Andrew Elderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04705844456819481896noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22534369.post-78375949283085952272009-10-31T16:26:23.704+11:002009-10-31T16:26:23.704+11:00Great to read the interlink of immigration policy ...Great to read the interlink of immigration policy with foreign policy/overseas development assistance (ODA) policy.<br /><br />If ODA policy was formed on a platform recognising 'the problems (and opportunities) of our neigbours are our problems (and opportunites) too we would have a very different policy on both immigration and overseas development assistance (ODA).<br /><br />This viewpoint could easily be extrapolated to Trade, Defence and Climate policy as well!<br /><br />The current policy priorities on each reveal the nature of the current disproportioned incentives for policy makers but I'm not ready to believe that the electorate would immediately dismiss an argument that increased ODA expenditure was a responsible and appropriate response to the 'asylum seeker' debate; and there's something in it for everyone! The Nationalists get the 'enlightened, benevolent self-interest' effect of ODA and management of the 'push factors' and Moralists get the increased attention to the very real dilemas of people in conflict and poverty neigbourhoods. Parliamentary debate on this approach would surely be very revealing of the partisan incentives in a way that the tougher/more humanitarian debates is not.<br /><br />Hope there's to be more discussion that fleshes out this approach further. I think this thinking can bring about some solutions that aren't possible using the current policy framing.KGYnoreply@blogger.com