Karthik Arasu says Australia needs equitable immigration policy
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Melbourne, Australia, June 21, 2016
A Melbourne based a business consultant says that he would strive towards better empowerment of women, a just immigration policy and sufficient support for small and medium enterprises.
Karthik Arasu, a Chennai-born Tamilian with a penchant for ordinary Australians, says that he will take the voices of the unheard and neglected people, especially those of Indian Australian to the Federal Senate, if elected in the July 2 polls.
Migrating to Australia 17 years ago, he has a postgraduate (Masters) degree in Engineering with Manufacturing as a special subject from Swinburne University.
“I have always felt strongly for people and areas that were unheard and neglected and nurtured a dream to be a strong voice for Indian Australians. Holding fast to these dreams for all these years with a clear vision, I decided to enter politics and run as an Independent Federal senate candidate,” he said.
Following is the Core Agenda of his election campaign:
Incentivising women’s participation in the workforce; ‘Zero’ Income Tax for new moms for first three years after child birth.
Empowering women
“Women are key members of the workforce and equally contribute to the economy as men. We are fighting for policies that will encourage women, especially new moms to return to the workforce as soon as they can. Their return and participation will be a value addition to not just to their own lives but also to the country. Indian women who are highly educated and forced to stay home because of lack of family support in Australia as most of them are first generation immigrants.”
Mr Arasu said that he has always been passionate about employment opportunities for migrants and that he has painfully watched Indian Australians, despite being dynamic and hardworking, are under-represented in Australian Politics.
The contribution of the Indian Australian community to the economy is immense; they have integrated into the Australian system so seamlessly, which doesn’t reflect when it comes to the ethnic representation, he said.
Preserving tradition
“Preserving and passing on the cultural aspects of the Indian community to the next generation is also our priority. After multi-layered consultation with the community I have decided to push for Diwali and Eid Al Fitr to be declared as ‘Optional Public Holidays.’
Any other festival day of cultural, religious and traditional significance of any community can also be substituted with these as Optional Public Holidays,” Mr Arasu said.
“I support the demand of Indian Australians for long term visa for parents. The fact is that the Liberal Party has rejected this idea, while Labour and Greens are not ready to commit. Only an only Independent Indian Australian candidate can and will fight for it. Presently, parents of migrants can stay up to a maximum of 12 months and go offshore for six months before they are able to reunite with their children living in Australia. This is insufficient time for families to unite and also cumbersome for aged parents and their children both physically and financially. Parents must be allowed to stay for the entire duration of the validity of their visa without having to exit Australia even once.”
Common issues
Issues facing common Victorians, such as commuting, providing employment opportunities closer to where they live, AAA Childcare facility for all, which means Advanced, Affordable & Accessible Childcare & environment protection are our other core issues, Mr Arasu said.
“The mainstream political parties have vested interests in keeping the status quo going. They are there only for big corporations and not for common Australians. As an independent I will be the true voice of Indian Australian people with conscience unlike the big parties which are hand in glove when it comes to striking back room deals to keep power concentrated to them.
If you have observed the Australian politics of late, the established political parties are fighting, not for the people, but to keep power to themselves. The party in power and the opposition enter into deals to keep independents and smaller parties out of the equation. When it comes to circumventing difficult policy decisions, the major parties enter into backroom deals and join hands at the cost of the common man. It’s actually the independents and smaller parties that truly hold the government to account in Australia.
There’s hardly any representation from the Indian community in the established parties, and the handful that who are in election race from major parties are the seats which parties consider already lost. This is unfair and not inclusive in the true sense of the word. Hence, I decided to contest as an independent and lead through clear vision and policies that are backed by robust actions plans.”
Visit http://www.karthikforsenate.com.au/; https://www.facebook.com/KarthikForSenate/
Karthik Arasu
