Bring up migration at work, over a drink or at the shops and the mood changes fast.

It’s a bit like dropping the words AI or ChatGPT. Half the population think it’s going to take their jobs, the other half think it’s the best thing since sliced bread, and then there’s someone in the corner saying it’s doing their kid’s homework.

The migration debate in Australia is loud, emotional, and usually misses the bigger picture. Just as AI isn’t here to replace humans but to enhance how we work, migrants aren’t here to undercut Australians but to keep the whole system running.

Still, worries deserve respect. Wages not going far enough, high rents, and stretched hospitals are real pressures. It’s natural to link them to migration because the timing feels right and the faces are visible. But if yo

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