Open your gates to Pacific migrants: World Bank chief

SMH, August 2, 2007

THE new president of the World Bank, Bob Zoellick, has said it is "absolutely critical" that South Pacific nations be able to send guest workers to Australia.

New Zealand has adopted such a scheme and the ALP is prepared to explore the idea, but the Prime Minister, John Howard, has ruled it out.

In Sydney yesterday, Mr Zoellick told the Herald in an interview: "Labour mobility is absolutely critical to the long-term development of the South Pacific.

"I don't know about Australia's visa and immigration rules but labour mobility will be important for remittances and skills" for South Pacific countries ...

Mr Zoellick said that failing states "are dangerous to their neighbours". He nominated Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Cambodia as fragile states: "And frankly the development community has struggled with how to deal with these countries," he said.