The government's openness to wealthy foreigners contrasts with its approach more generally to immigration, a polarizing topic in Australia, particularly ahead of an election only four months away.

WSJ: Australia Offers Visa for Millionaires

The government's openness to wealthy foreigners from China and elsewhere is in contrast to its approach more generally to immigration, a polarizing topic in Australia particularly ahead of an election only four months away.

WSJ: Australia Attracts More Than $1 Billion in Potential Investment Under Visa Program

Philip Ruddock, Australia's immigration minister, claims that 10, 000 more people from the Middle East are preparing to catch boats from Asia to Australia.

ECONOMIST: Australia

According to reports, Hanson called for a decrease in immigration and also that multiculturalism should be abandoned, a call to the old White Australia.

CNN: LETTERS AND COMMENT

As one of the most multicultural societies on earth, Australia enjoys excellent race relations, and Mr Howard has quietly raised immigration to impressive levels.

ECONOMIST: Has he got the ticker? | The

She fears that if Australia does too well at attracting students seeking a back door to immigration, its position in the global education market and its attractiveness to really serious students will suffer.

ECONOMIST: Higher education

Lawyers argued that because Chris Bowen, Australia's immigration minister, could not guarantee their protection, he had no power under Australia's Migration Act to send them to Malaysia.

ECONOMIST: The government hits a legal roadblock

Australia has transferred the first group of asylum seekers to a processing centre in Papua New Guinea, immigration officials say.

BBC: Australia sends first group to PNG asylum camp