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Home > Our Publications > Australian Outlook> 2007 > November

ELECTION CHANGES

By Lance Fee,
Director
Live Downunder UK

AUSTRALIANS will go to the voting polls on November 24 to elect a new Government.
The Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard formally sought approval of the Governor-General to dissolve the parliament on Sunday, October 14, just short of his three year term of office.
The Howard Government has held office for three terms and is now seeking a fourth term, however this time the main opposition party, the Labor Party has a strong lead in the present polls.
If there is a change of Government there is likely to be a change in respect to some of Australia's immigration policy.
Any change is unlikely to occur until after the incumbent Minister has had the opportunity to meet with Departmental heads ands confer with other Minister's but there is some indication that there would be some changes regarding the present skilled programme and the removal of points in respect to sponsorship by Australian close family members.
A motion in the Senate to disallow the current regulations, which removed the points for sponsorship, was lost along party lines. The Labor party has also expressed concern about the ceiling imposed on parent visas so it would not be unreasonable to expect that changes would occur in this area.
Regardless of the outcome in the House of Representatives, the lower house it will be unlikely that the government will have a majority in the Senate, the upper house (house of review) which would mean that there would need to be support from some of the minor parties in order to bring about any change in policy or regulations.
Since the last election the present government has had a majority in both houses that has meant that there has been no opposition to any change they have announced.
This has been a rare occurrence in Australian politics for many years, and something that is unlikely to be repeated again.
In summary, we can expect to see some changes in the present policy relating to immigration, or at the very least a check on changes proposed by the Government elected after November 24.