Rudd Government to reduce immigration?

From The Age:

Rudd flags cut in migrant numbers

October 10, 2008 - 9:56AM

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has flagged a cut in immigration because of the global financial crisis, faltering economic growth and a rise in unemployment.

Mr Rudd said the current immigration rate was an increase on the previous year.

He said that increase was to meet employer demands for more skilled workers, particularly in mining and resource intensive Western Australia and Queensland.

"As with all previous governments, and mine's the same, whenever we set immigration targets we will adjust them according to the economic circumstances of the day," he told the Fairfax Radio Network in Melbourne.

The 2008-09 Migration Program is set at 190,300 places, representing a 19.8 per cent increase on the 2007-08 program. The figure includes 56,500 places for family migrants sponsored by people already in Australia and 133,500 places for those with special skills.

But that's now been criticised as excessively large in a period of economic turmoil.

Full article