Asylum seekers an major concern in New South Wales of Australia: Labor Party

New South Wales (NSW) Labor Member of Parliament (MP) Laurie Ferguson on Tuesday said the issue of asylum seekers has been a major concern in some pockets of western Sydney of Australia.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Ferguson said older Australians in particular have been worried that refugees will affect their lifestyle.

"Of course it's an issue (especially) in parts of western Sydney where you have issues ... of job availability," Ferguson, whose seat is in one of Sydney's most ethnically diverse electorates, told Australian Associated Press on Tuesday.

"Older Australians, they have a certain lifestyle that existed for decades. When they see that changing later in life this does cause some uncertainty.

"People have difficulties with change, with what is different."

Ferguson's old seat of Reid takes in the suburbs of Auburn, Granville and Lidcombe of state NSW, traditionally home to a large population of new migrants and refugees.


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