The majority of Australian voters believe that immigrants have a positive impact on the country’s economy, a new report reveals.
The annual Lowy Institute Poll, which seeks to ascertain the views of voting-aged Australians on the most important international issues of the day, shows that 73 per cent of those polled recognise the economic benefits of immigration, while a similar number (72 per cent) think that strengthen Australia due to their hard work. The same proportion also believe that attracting immigrants from different countries makes Australia stronger.
What’s more, 57 per cent of respondents disagreed with the statement that immigration to Australia is too high, while 56 per cent refused to accept that immigrants are a burden on the country’s welfare state.
The study also showed that only 35 per cent of those polled think that immigrants take jobs from Australian workers.
However, Australian views regarding refugees tend to be less positive. Over half of respondents (53 per cent) do not agree that Australia, as a wealthy country, should welcome more refugees then it currently does, although 62 per cent do believe that the country was right to resettle 12,000 Syrian refugees in 2015.