Firstly, a statistical preamble. In 2001, China ranked fifth in population share; by 2016, China ranked third. This is an increase from 3.5% to 8.3%, which amounts to 350,000 people. For context, The United Kingdom remain top. Interestingly, the UK population share decreased from 25.5% to 17.7%, a population net increase of approx. 50,000. All statistics taken from the parliament website.
This is over 15 years. An increase of 350,000 in a relatively short time is certainly noteworthy, for a population of only 25 million. I personally have been in Australia for not much over 10 years, and the increase in Chinese population is observable. It is an odd thing to wander into Chatswood, which is now little Shanghai. Chatswood, for the non-Australian, is very much a middle-class area.
Chinese migrants are taking jobs that otherwise would be taken by either other migrants, or Australians. Some of these Chinese people do have PhD's. Technically speaking, Michael Daly was accurate. The average Australian citizen can observe increases in migration, and can observe that many new migrants are from China.
Here I am obligated to be reasonable. High IQ, hard-working Chinese migrants have come to Australia for a better life. They generally have jobs, pay taxes, and live as responsible citizens. Given the choice of living under the yoke of the social credit score, and Australian diversity, I'd come to Australia, too.
(This blog is not intended as a detailed discussion of the net-benefits (or otherwise) of migration. But, In the interests of fairness, an article from the AFR discusses net-benefits:
However, Michael Daly made a reasonable observation, and was subject to criticism from all sides. I do not know his motivation, but he has no reputation for demagoguery. He was playing to the local crowd, perhaps, hardly a crime. No, perhaps his real crime was opening up a discussion of immigration, a discussion usually deemed problematical in MSM circles.
And so, why is this problematical? Because the MSM is full of shit. Their job is to lie. They seek to mould the opinions of men through the dark arts and deceit, wizardry. Considering aloud that, well, that's a large increase in the Chinese population, and speculating as to the reasons - this is not encouraged.
At state level, politicians routinely visit China, for economic reasons, which are never quite explained clearly. Promoting [Insert State] Business, whatever that means. Federally, not one day ago, ScoMo announced a $44 million foundation to 'Turbo Charge' Beijing ties. I was unaware of this article when I started this post.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-29/australias-new-ambassador-to-china-graham-fletcher-relations/10952040
And naturally, the Chinese Communist Party are engaging in propaganda on Australian soil:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-08/chinas-foreign-media-push-a-major-threat-to-democracies/10733068
Poor Michael Daly loses an election, and is forced to resign by ALP Head Office, no doubt with the connivance of the odious Bill Shorten, and the wily (and potentially odious) Kaila Murnain. The shenanigans of the ALP are currently of little concern to this blog, which may change once crooked Bill is elected. The ALP leadership will argue that putting a significant percentage of the electorate 'offside' is a rookie move, and Daly deserved to go. After all, it was an entirely winnable election. The suspicion that this is either only partially true, or entirely irrelevant, is heightened by the swiftness of Daly's shafting and the fact of Shorten's involvement. Where Shorten is involved, scepticism is advised. It is not long, after all, since one of his key people was forced to resign over ... soliciting donations from China.
One may argue politicians must be careful with their language. However, it would seem that, in Australia certainly, politicians are to be reduced to merely speaking in approved scripts, where minor gallery playing is removed from the final cut. Dare I say it, but this doesn't appear particularly Australian at all ...