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22 September 2009Australia is a proudly multicultural society, but are we at a point where we need to slow down our rate of immigration?

With the world in a state of financial uncertainty, the environmental situation looking grim, and jobless figures in flux, will more immigrants be of help or hindrance to Australia? The sixth of the I.Q Squared Oz debates for 2009 took the topic that "Our Current Rate of Immigration is Too High". The affirmative, led by Tim Flannery, argued that cutting down immigration would benefit our environment and our labour market, and protect us in difficult times. The negative team, including Tom Keneally and Tanveer Ahmed, took the view that such concerns have not been borne out historically, and that migrants will continue to benefit our society.

The speakers were, in order of appearance:

Simon Longstaff (moderator) is the executive director of the St. James Ethics Centre, which presents the IQ Squared Oz debates series.

Professor Tim Flannery is a scientist and environmental activist. His numerous publications include "The Weather Makers: The History and Future Impact of Climate Change", and "Now or Never: A sustainable future for Australia?". He was Australian of the year in 2007.

Tanveer Ahmed is a psychiatry registrar who writes a regular opinion column in The Sydney Morning Herald. Born in Bangladesh, he immigrated to Australia at the age of five. He sits on several boards, including the Advertising Standards Board.

John Sutton is the Vice-President of the ACTU, and the National Secretary of the CFMEU. He is a member of the Australian Department of Immigration's Skilled Migration Consultative Panel.

Professor Helen Hughes is an economist. She is a former Director of the ANU's National Centre for Development Studies, and is now a senior fellow of the Centre for Independent Studies.

Professor Bob Birrell is the Director of the Centre for Population and Urban Research at Monash University.

Tom Keneally is an internationally acclaimed and multi-award winning writer whose books include "Schindler's Ark", "The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith", and most recently the first volume in a series of Australian history called "The Australians".