If ever there was a fake news item, then our so-called major immigration issue is it.
asserted
issue → be → ?
I didn’t spend a night in hospital, but months recovering from a critical illness that left me immobile, unable to swallow and fed through a tube (“Before you rail against migrants, have a night in hospital”, October 19).
asserted
you → spend → hospital
The toxicity in the debate described by Brendan Nicholson hurts.
asserted
toxicity → describe → Nicholson
This week I rode with a taxi driver who came to Australia as a five-year-old.
asserted
who → ride → old
He asked: “How long will I be a migrant?”
asserted
I → ask → ?
I am haunted by the poignancy of his question.
asserted
I → haunt → question
Anne Eagar, Epping
In commenting on the dependence for staffing of hospitals by nurses and others from outside Australia, an important fact should be noted.
asserted
fact → comment → Australia
As at August this year, according to the Australian College of Nursing, 70,000 registered nurses were working outside the profession.
uncertain
nurses → accord → profession
Perhaps people from other countries are more likely to put up with the pressure, stress and lack of support from above that is prevalent in our hospitals today, largely because of constant cuts to public sector funding by successive governments.
asserted
that → put → governments
My husband and I met an Afghan man 10 years ago when he was driving a cab and also working in construction.
asserted
he → meet → construction
We discovered he’d come as a boat person, one of the persecuted Hazara whose relatives had been shot in front of him.
asserted
relatives → discover → him
He told us we were the only Australians – in six years – who had spoken to him beyond the necessities.
asserted
who → tell → necessities
His wife and children, having just received their visas, were finally about to join him, and we decided to mentor this family.
asserted
we → receive → family
Many years of hard work at multiple jobs later, they own their home with a pool; one daughter became a nurse, a son is in the police force and another daughter is a lawyer with the federal government in Canberra.
asserted
daughter → own → Canberra
All are contributing to, and grateful to, the country that gave them sanctuary.
asserted
that → contribute → sanctuary
Most migrants do not sponge off the system, but are driven to get ahead.
asserted
migrants → sponge → system
One problem I had to solve a couple of times was when locals refused to pay this man for his labour.
asserted
locals → have → labour
Brendan Nicholson warns on underestimating the importance of skilled immigrants in our country.
asserted
Nicholson → warn → country
Immigration policy, I think, is a mystery wrapped in a puzzle.
asserted
I → think → puzzle
My recent medical accident highlighted the role of Irish health workers.
asserted
accident → highlight → workers
After meeting my fourth one, I asked her who was looking after the Irish.
asserted
who → meet → Irish
Oh, she said cheerfully, we’ve got health workers from the Philippines.
asserted
we → say → Philippines
Chris Commens, Rosebery
Brendan Nicholson is right to remind us that before railing against migrants, we should spend a night in hospital.
asserted
we → remind → hospital
Our public health system depends on skilled nurses and specialist doctors, many born and trained overseas.
asserted
system → depend → nurses
Yet this benefit to Australia comes at a cost to countries whose already stretched health services lose professionals trained with scarce public resources.
asserted
services → come → resources
Even the United Kingdom now experiences this brain drain.
asserted
Kingdom → experience → drain
As a specialist doctor who was educated and trained in Brisbane, I recognise the opportunities Australia has afforded me and the responsibility to give back.
asserted
Australia → educate → me
But our hospitals rely on more than doctors and nurses.
asserted
hospitals → rely → doctors
Many cleaners in my Brisbane hospital come from Tibet and Papua New Guinea, doing essential work that too few Australian-born workers appear willing to undertake.
asserted
workers → come → that
The same applies to delivery riders and other workers who keep our cities functioning.
asserted
who → apply → cities
We should acknowledge both sides of this equation: migration enriches Australia, but can impoverish the health systems of countries that migrants leave behind.
asserted
migrants → acknowledge → that
Above all, those who sustain our hospitals deserve respect, not resentment.
asserted
who → sustain → respect
While I agree that a stint in hospital demonstrates the benefits of our immigration, I can be in perfect health and learn the same lesson.
asserted
I → agree → lesson
I can chat to a neighbour, buy things in shops, visit a friend in aged care, go to my local cinema, attend events put on by family and friends or just stay home.
asserted
I → chat → family
Everywhere, every day I enjoy the benefits of our multicultural country.
asserted
I → enjoy → country
Judith Fleming, Sawtell
Thank Trump for inflation
If there are any Australians still thinking that “Trump isn’t all bad”, they should read Shane Wright’s article (“Surge in oil prices the RBA’s worst fears”, October 19).
asserted
Surge → be → prices
The US administration’s reckless entry into the Iran conflict, and the ensuing broader war, has damaged the entire world.
asserted
entry → ensue → world
Whether it be the direct cost of fuel, fertilisers or the disastrous impact on food prices, people worldwide are suffering.
asserted
people → suffer → prices
Here in Australia, the grinding damage of inflation has seen interest rates rise, hurting mortgaged households with already high levels of debt.
asserted
rates → grind → debt
Unemployment is increasing.
asserted
Unemployment → increase → ?
…and 74 more, not listed.
The Aporia
