Immigration and citizenship

Australia is a nation of immigrants. Since 1945 over 6 million people have come to Australia as new settlers, influencing all aspects of our society. The benefits of immigration have been many humanitarian, economic and cultural. However, Australia now stands at a crossroads in terms of its economic need and humanitarian obligations. The skills shortage in the labour force is calling for increased migrant intake to maintain economic competitiveness and increase population levels, while a controversial border protection policy has prevented boat people from arriving on our shores. In addition to this, the term multiculturalism is now being phased out, with current government policy focused on a unifying concept of citizenship instead of the diversity represented by multiculturalism. What are the current key issues in immigration in Australia? More or less migrants? The economy or the environment? Cultural clash or cohesion? Does the proposed "citizenship test" for migrants applying for citizenship promote integration to the exclusion of diversity? The federal Government has recently removed multiculturalism from the immigration portfolio and replaced it with "citizenship". What is the future of multiculturalism in Australia?