for Bruce

that middle-income earners make to our country and will be working hard to restore hope, reward and opportunity to the Indian community.

AG: Members of the Indian community in Australia have been very active members of many professional, community and political organisations. Through these organisations they have played important roles in being part of the ongoing policy and political debate within Australia. They have also had access to the same benefits as other Australians, which is appropriate and fair.

PJ: How does your party plan to forge better relations with India?

EC: As the Hon Julie Bishop, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, recently stated: “Australia and India are good friends and within Australia there is no greater friend of India than the Liberal Party of Australia”.

The Liberal Party appreciates the importance of our relationship with India and we share the values of freedom and choice, enterprise and hard work. Ms Bishop has made clear that broadening and deepening our relationship with India will be a priority for the Coalition in government. The Coalition will also seek to build Australia’s trade and investment relationship with India and continue to be an important partner with India in terms of its energy needs. We will recalibrate our foreign affairs strategy to ensure trade is an important part of dialogue between our two countries.

AG: In a visit to Delhi in November 2009, Prime Minister Rudd and Prime Minister Singh announced the establishment of a Strategic Partnership between Australia and India. Under the agreement, both countries have pursued deeper bilateral, regional and international cooperation across a wide range of fields, including on strategic and security matters. We have been making solid progress. This includes the launching of negotiations on a civil nuclear cooperation agreement, the opening of a consulate in Chennai, further progress in negotiating a free trade agreement and making

Hindi a priority Asian language in our schools. There was also a major promotion of Australia in India known as Oz Fest with 100 events across 18 cities. When the Labor Government launched the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper we said India was one of our priority relationships – together with China, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan. Soon the Government will launch the India Country Strategy – a blue print for how we plan to build further our relationship by 2025 across community, business and government. India is Australia’s fifth largest export market. Total trade in 2012 was valued at $17.5 billion. India is our second largest source of international students. On the tourism front, India is one of the world’s fastest growing outbound travel markets, with the World Tourism Organisation predicting 50 million outbound travellers by 2020. In the year ending December 2012, Australia received almost 160, 000 Indian visitors, spending in the order of $800 million. Of all of Australia’s significant relationships in Asia, our relationship with India has perhaps the greatest potential to expand. Australia can supply the resources that India needs to develop and we can provide education, finance and IT services, and tourism opportunities to India’s growing middle class.

PJ: What will be your plarty’s first step to offer better immigration policies to migrants?

The Indian community has been well served by the Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Scott Morrison who has developed a strong working relationship with the community, and he will continue to work closely with them as the Minister if the Coalition is fortunate enough to form government. The Coalition Government will reintroduce a suite or proven measures to stem the flow of illegal boat arrivals. We strongly believe that having a properly targeted and well-managed migration program is critical to our nation’s future.

Historically, skilled migration has been one of the most important contributors to our national success, delivering social and economic strength, prosperity and unity, and a strong and cohesive society. The Coalition has always value the involvement of migrants in our economy and society and we will hard to restore integrity to our immigration programme.

Labor believes our current migration system provides a good balance between skilled migration, family reunion, refugee and other categories. The substantial growth in migration from India in recent years would point to the fact that it has certainly allowed significant opportunity for Indians to come to Australia.

PJ: From 1996 till date Alan Griffin has been the member for Bruce. Emanuele, what will it take to win the seat this year? Alan, what will it take to retain the seat?

EC: While there is no doubt I have a battle on my hands to win the seat, I am working hard to let people know that there is a clear choice in Bruce at this election and they don’t have to put up with another three years of neglect under Alan Griffin and Labor.

I am being supported by senior members of the Coalition team, as well as specific visits from frontbenchers Malcolm Turnbull and Christopher Pyne who recognise local residents deserve better. This election provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the people living in Bruce to throw out a bad government and elect a member of the Coalition who will work tirelessly as part of a stable government to deliver a stronger economy with more jobs, real help for families and small business, lower taxes and secure borders.

AG: I will continue to work hard as the local member and ensure electors understand the choice that they face on September 7. Despite the constant negativity that we’ve seen from Mr Abbott, I believe that residents have a very clear choice at this election. A Rudd Labor Government is offering genuine investment in vital future infrastructure such as our schools and the NBN, and a proven steady hand on our economy which by any measure is envied around the world. Mr Abbott will scrap the NBN, and then proceed to cut superannuation savings, the Schoolkids Bonus, and the Better Schools Plan just to name a few. He’s got billions of dollars’ worth of holes in his costings which need filling, and nothing will be off the table. He simply can’t be trusted.

PJ: We are now nearly at the last few days of the campaign. Where do you see it going?

EC: I am out every day talking to people in Bruce who are struggling with cost of living pressures and worried about job security. They feel that Labor has let down their families and they are looking to vote for real change on September 7 so that we can have strong and stable government once again. I have met many locals who tell me they will vote Liberal for the first time in their lives. They are sick of the chaos and dysfunction. If fortunate enough to be elected to represent the people of Bruce, I will work hard to restore hope, reward and opportunity for our community.

AG: I’ve been through enough election campaigns to know that it’s not a good idea to spend too much time speculating about the result. That’s a matter for the people. We’ll find out soon enough!

Full interviews appear on our website www.indianlink.com.au