Ahh, on your second question, it’s quite interesting, don’t you think? Here’s what I think about that: I think that it’s pretty safe to say that John Howard’s personal views on immigration is one of reducing it (especially of the Asian kind). However, credit must be given to him that he did not subcumb to populist politics when he came to power. He realised how vital immigration is to Australia in replenishing her depleting skilled workforce. So what he did was this, he continued subtlely sending the message that he prefers the vision of a ‘true blue white Aussie’ Australia to the public to get the far right-wing voter’s support, while discreeting maintaining (and recently, actually increasing) immigration numbers. This is also partly because big companies lobbied for him to do so, as they need more immigrant professionals.

To be fair, not everyone in the Liberal Party is strictly anti-multiculturalism. The party’s previous leader and PM, Malcolm Frasier, is a much more socially-liberal leader. It’s just that becoz of John Howard, the Right faction is in control of his party right now, and thus determining the direction of it.