Mr Laurie Ferguson asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, upon notice, on 3 March 2004:

(1) For the purposes of the migration program, which parts of Australia does the Minister's Department consider to fall within the classification of (a) `regional Australia', and (b) `a low population growth metropolitan area'.

(2) What precise statistical and other criteria are used to determine the allocation of areas to these classifications.

(3) What will be the definition of `regional Australia' for the purposes of the new regional skilled visa jointly announced by the Minister and the Acting Prime Minister on 12 January 2004.

(4) For 2004-2005 is there (a) a minimum target, and (b) an upper limit for the number of visas to be issued in accordance with the 12 January announcement.

Mr Hardgrave (Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister) —The Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable member's question:

(1) The Australian Government, in consultation with state and territory governments, has introduced a range of state/territory specific and regional migration (SSRM) mechanisms designed to support their economic and social development goals. The Government's approach with these schemes has been to tailor the definition of the areas of Australia to benefit to the specific features of each scheme. Where it has been possible to adopt a wider definition that would not impact negatively on areas of Australia that are clearly “regional” we have done so. As a result, for the Skilled Designated Area Sponsored scheme, for example, a very broad definition has been used which includes Melbourne. This is because giving an advantage to someone living in Melbourne sponsoring a skilled relative from overseas does not disadvantage any other area of Australia but it does meet the wishes of the Victorian Government for more overseas migration.

There is, therefore, no single definition of the parts of Australia that benefit from the range of SSRM schemes. For some of these schemes the areas to benefit are determined entirely by state/territory governments.

(2) See (1) above and (3) below.

(3) Consultation on the areas to benefit from this scheme is nearing finalisation. At this stage, it is expected that the areas of Australia to benefit will be those statistical divisions with a population of less than 200,000 and those metropolitan centres which had a population growth rate between the last two censuses of less than 50% of the national average.

(4) This is to be a demand driven category and will be managed within overall migration program planning levels.