QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Dr CHALMERS (Rankin—Treasurer) (15:07): I want to thank the honourable member for the serious and considered way that she comes at this really important part of public policy in this country, and that is about migration and its contribution to the economy. For a really long time now in this country, migrants have made an essential contribution, not just to our economy but to our society.

It's not always been the case that that's been recognised by everyone in this parliament, but it's recognised by this side of the parliament, and I believe that it's recognised in that part of the parliament as well. A lot of work goes into ensuring that we're making the most of the economic benefit provided by migration. The Treasury has the Centre for Population.

The Productivity Commission has done a bunch of work. The OECD has, and the Reserve Bank and others. And the consistent conclusion of all of that work over time is that migrants are more likely than not to make a big contribution to our economy.

Often they provide a big part of the dynamism and the innovation in our economy. I know that the small business minister, who I engage with on this regularly, understands that truth—that so much of the innovation, creativity and dynamism, which is all about productivity, comes from migrant communities. So our job, the responsibility that we embrace, is to make the most of that economic opportunity, fed by that considered methodical analysis that we get from all those places to make sure we're making the most of this opportunity, at the same time as getting net overseas migration down by 45 per cent below its peak, and with some further distance to travel as well.

I'm conscious that the honourable member asked about the damage done to our economy if we go about managing the migration system in the wrong way. We have, unfortunately, heard, in recent times in particular, that there are some in our community—and especially, in our politics, sitting over there—whose primary purpose, when it comes to thinking about and dealing with migration in this country, is to try and divide the community.

We reject that irresponsible approach. The approach that they take in talking down our economy and dividing our community is bad for our economy, and it's bad for our society as well. So we will continue to work with anyone of goodwill who recognises that you can get net overseas migration down, as we are doing, at the same time that you can recognise and not diminish the really important role played by migrants in our economy and in our society as well.