What do you think of the possibility of the entire population of the Maldives relocating to Australia?

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cc_of_0z

What people don't realise is that the vast bulk of the land in Australia is uninhabitable desert. It is also the driest continent (excluding Antarctica). Australia is has been in drought for the last decade or more with most capital cities on permanent water restrictions. Only last year Brisbane, one of our major cities, was resorting to rationing water per person per household. Having a lot of land doesn't necessarily equate to being able to support a lot of people on it.

What also has to be relevant to this issue is that the Maldives are not the only country in this position. Australia (and New Zealand) would be the destination of choice for many thousands of people across many South Pacific island nations all in the same predicament.

If any were taken in by the Australian government, it would be as refugees seeking asylum on the grounds they are now stateless. Though I wouldn't be surprised if the United Nations stepped in and allocated refugees to the countries most able to assimilate them. I would not expect any country to give up land to create a new country. Any refugees would be granted either permanent residency or citizenship in their host countries. There is a precedent of this kind of thing already, most notably in the handover of Hong Kong to China and the evacuation of Montserrat when the island self-destructed due to a volcano eruption. With Hong Kong the residents were granted automatic entry into the UK should they choose. With Montserrat they were granted full residency in 1998 and full UK citizenship in 2002.

He's gone fishing.

When a large number of people of another race move to a country there are generally problems. People tend to only associate with their own race and ostracise others. I have seen this many times and it very rarely ends nicely. Many Aussies are decent people who are welcoming, and sometimes a bit too nice. I have walked into shops where there is no Australian signage and no one speaks english in the shop, you get glared at by the occupants and leave feeling unwelcome and unserved in your own country. Call me racist if you like, however it is a fact this happens and if you don't realise it, please place your head back in the sand. I fail to see how this could be achieved.

zafir

While some people might be relocated here, I can't see the whole nation being accommodated.

The problem is that many people see Australia as being a huge underpopulated country, without understanding that the present unoccupied land is actually uninhabitable, especially by a large number of people.

The habitable land, around the Eastern, Southern and South Western coastal fringe is already well-populated and with the drought a large influx of people would be unsustainable.

I think our government might be well aware of this.

fruitsalad

Tuvalu and Kiribas and others are also looking to move their entire population here, although their populations are much smaller.

30,000 people is a lot of people to take - I think we should make a significant contribution, but not the entire population. And they should come as refugees and have permanent residency, not by chopping bits off Australia to give to the nations affected. It's very sad.

C.C

It is a terrible situation. It is not a total surprise though as this argument has been thrashed around allot in the last few years. I can't see that any government would give up land to any other country for any other purpose, except in the time of war and I do not see the Maldives fighting us over a scrap of land. I do not know what these people are going to do to save themselves. I see the solution being something to raise the height of the Maldives instead of relocating the population. Even if its with recycled garbage which is another alternative being sugested. It would make the people feel better if they can fix their problem, rather than just move on.

oceangirl78

I don't think we would give up any of our land for this purpose.

Dan

Australia may be huge in its size but why do you think most of us live on and close to the coast? Many parts of the interior cannot be lived in.

You're right. I don't think our Government would allow this and I personally do not support the idea either. We, on the other hand, can accept a few but not the entire country! I say they should be spread evenly between countries who will step up and help instead of one single country taking all the responsibility.

Many countries look up to Australia as we are considered a lucky country. It's nothing bad if they consider us. I mean, in the end, it is up to our Government anyway to decide.

lolly

Oh you all scoff, but that guy is right, they are yet to prove themselves about global warming. I bet by the time they say they want to relocate their population we will have all moved on to worrying about the next possible 'disaster'.

Iskandar

Before there is any relocation, someone has to prove global warming to be true..

Anyway, I can't imagine that there would be that many people living in the Maldives, I say let them in.

What's wrong with selling off just a little bit of land, Australia is gigantic, while our geographic size is an economic advantage, selling off a small part wouldn't hurt. Maybe an area the size of Sydney in northern Queensland. If they need a home, let's give it to them.

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