753 不是限制移民 而是融合世界

小時候地理課本介紹的澳洲，是一個以英國及歐洲移民後代為主的社會。大約八成澳洲人在本地出生，社會文化相對單一。然而半個世紀後，澳洲已經完全改變。今天，本地出生人口只佔約68%，第一代及第二代移民已超過全國人口一半，其中大量來自亞洲背景。澳洲已成為全球最多元化的國家之一。

其實，這正是澳洲最大的優勢。

今日世界不少國家都面對人口老化、勞動力不足及國際競爭力下降問題，但澳洲卻擁有來自世界各地的人才、語言能力與國際網絡。澳洲既具備西方民主自由制度、高水平教育與法治，同時又能與亞洲及世界不同地區建立自然聯繫。這種條件，其實是很多國家難以擁有的。

可惜的是，今天澳洲兩大政黨似乎都沒有真正理解這種優勢。

面對住房、醫療、生活成本等壓力，政客最容易做的，就是把移民塑造成問題來源。政府多年缺乏長遠規劃，基建與社會融合政策追不上人口變化，但最後卻把責任轉移到移民身上。

近年，一國黨等民粹政治力量更利用這種不滿情緒，放大民族差異，把「限制移民」包裝成解決問題的方法。這種做法看似簡單，實際上卻是在逃避真正問題。

澳洲今天的困難，不是因為移民太多，而是政府未能建立一個讓不同民族真正融合、共同參與社會建設的方向。當社會結構已經改變，但政策思維仍停留在數十年前，自然會產生焦慮與分裂。

一國黨支持度上升，反映部分澳洲人對現狀的不滿。政府不能忽視這種情緒，但把移民當成替罪羊，只會令社會更加撕裂。

真正負責任的政府，應該向國民說明：澳洲未來的競爭力，正正建立於這種多元背景之上。今天的澳洲年輕人，如果能在多元文化環境中成長，理解不同民族與文化，其實更有能力在全球化世界中發展。

因此，澳洲需要的，不是退回封閉與恐懼，而是建立更成熟的融合能力。這不只是表面的多元文化活動，而是讓不同背景的人共同建立對民主、自由、法治與彼此尊重的公共價值。

移民的確會帶來社會轉變與磨合，但歷史上所有成功的移民社會，都是在不斷調整中成長。澳洲真正需要思考的，不是如何阻止世界走進澳洲，而是如何讓來自世界的人，成為共同建設澳洲未來的力量。

周偉文 社長

Integrating the World rather than Restricting Immigration

When I was young and studied geography textbooks, Australia was described as a society mainly made up of descendants of British and European immigrants. About 80% of Australians were locally born, and the culture was relatively homogeneous. However, half a century later, Australia has completely changed. Today, the locally born population accounts for only about 68%, while first- and second-generation immigrants make up more than half of the national population, with many coming from Asian backgrounds. Australia has become one of the most multicultural countries in the world.

In fact, this is Australia’s greatest edge.

Today, many countries around the world are facing aging populations, labour shortages, and declining international competitiveness. Australia, however, possesses talent, language abilities, and international networks from all over the world. It combines Western democratic freedoms, high-quality education, the rule of law and with natural connections to Asia and other parts of the world. These are our edges over many countries.

Unfortunately, Australia’s two major political parties today do not seem to truly understand this advantage.

Faced with pressures such as housing, healthcare, and the rising cost of living, the easiest thing for politicians to do is to portray immigrants as the source of the problems. For years, governments have failed to carry out long-term planning, while infrastructure and social integration policies have lagged behind population changes. Yet for now, the blame is shifted onto immigrants.

In recent years, populist political forces such as One Nation have further exploited this dissatisfaction, amplifying ethnic differences and packaging “restricting immigration” as the solution. While this approach may appear simple, it is actually an avoidance of the real issues.

Australia’s current difficulties are not caused by excessive immigration, but by the government’s failure to establish a direction that allows different ethnic groups to truly integrate and participate together in building our society. When the social structure has already changed, but policymaking still remains stuck decades in the past, anxiety and division naturally emerge.

The rise in support for One Nation reflects the dissatisfaction some Australians feel toward the current situation. The government cannot ignore these emotions, yet treating immigrants as scapegoats will only deepen social divisions.

A truly responsible government should explain to its citizens that Australia’s future competitiveness is built precisely upon this diversity. Young Australians today, if they can grow up in a multicultural environment and understand well different peoples and cultures, will actually be better equipped to thrive in a globalized world.

Therefore, what Australia needs is not a retreat into isolation and fear, but the development of a more mature approach for integration. This means more than superficial multicultural activities; it means enabling people from different backgrounds to build shared public values based on democracy, freedom, the rule of law, and mutual respect.

Immigration certainly brings social change and adjustment; but throughout history, all successful immigrant societies have grown through continuous adaptation. What Australia truly needs to consider is not how to stop the world from entering Australia, but how to enable people from around the world to become a force in building a better Australia’s future together.

Mr. Raymond Chow, Publisher