PM Anthony Albanese To Reduce Migration To Australia Amid Growing Support For One Nation

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced today that he plans to reduce net overseas migration to Australia over the next two years. This comes after today’s Newspoll revealed the far-right anti-migration party One Nation (31%) has shot ahead of labour (30%) in popularity.

“We will reduce the net overseas migration over the next couple of years down to 225,000. We think that is the right number,” Albanese told reporters this morning. Notably, this is an over 80,000 decrease from last year’s net migration numbers, and less than half of the net migration recorded in 2023.

Albanese’s reaction has been described as an attempt to fix his declining approval rating with the far right’s very own scapegoat. Meanwhile, Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek refused to problematise migration. Though Plibersek too acknowledged that the poll results reflect a population that is rightly discontented, the minister argued that this discontent is better aimed at investment and tax policies that favour investors over ordinary Australians.

“We see those polls and we get the message,” Plibersek told Sunrise this morning, “which is that we need big changes in this country, and that’s exactly what labour is delivering.

“Our most recent budget is about the cost of living for ordinary Australians. It’s about lowering taxes, five tax cuts, and it’s about making sure that people can get into a home of their own. Of course that’s controversial, because, yes, the housing system has been busted for people trying to buy a home of their own. It’s been great for investors, but not great for people who want to buy their first home. We’re changing that. Unfortunately, One Nation is not the answer to that.

Plibersek went on to suggest that Pauline Hanson‘s habit of “flying around the country on Gina Rinehart’s private jet” contradicts any supposed commitment to the economic welfare of Australia’s working class.

“One Nation is the party that says workers should be paid less and be easier to sack. One Nation is the party that’s voted against every cost of living measure that we’ve tried to introduce as a government. They’ve voted against cheaper electricity. They’ve voted against cheaper childcare. They’ve voted against free tafe.”

One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce defended the party, claiming that One Nation is a reflection of the sentiment of “the people”. Which people he is referring to remains unclear, with census data from as recent as 2023 suggesting Australia’s largely migrant population includes 8.8 million individuals born overseas.