Maverick federal MP, Bob Katter, has launched a change.org online petition calling for an end to mass immigration in the interests of reducing long-term and youth unemployment:

We the undersigned respectfully request the Government to reduce the number of people coming into Australia on “term visas” namely:- migration visas, s457 and s417 work visas and student visas.

We request that the current level of over 600,000 visas per year be reduced to a number that is one-half of the new jobs generated annually.

This would mean a reduction in the number of “term visas” from 620,000 per year to around 100,000 per year.

And further that the Government takes note that our economy is:

1. Only generating around 200,000 new jobs a year.

2. There are over 200,000 school leavers and other young Australians seeking those jobs.

3. These 200,000 along with the 620,000 “term visa” arrivals makes over 800,000 people now competing for only 200,000 jobs.

4. The visa entrants are often from low wage countries, they will therefore naturally get job preference over Australians, so it is Australians in the main that will be forced onto welfare.

We the undersigned assert that since the Federal Government cannot afford this cost burden they therefore will be forced to cut health care, education, pensions and other essential services to Australians or maintain massive budget deficits burdening future generations…