Migration debate intensifying as Labor, Coalition, One Nation collectively refine platforms following missteps

Debate over migration, housing, welfare, and national values is intensifying across Labor, the Coalition, and One Nation as parties collectively refine their platforms following recent missteps on all sides.

From One Nation’s mixed messaging and an outspoken Coalition Senator blindsiding his frontbench, to Labor needing a second attempt after walking back a National Press Club address.

One Nation’s immigration policy was in shambles after new Farrer MP David Farley on Sunday suggested national migration levels would remain comparable to — if not higher — Labor’s forecasts.

Pauline Hanson, Barnaby Joyce, and party director James Ashby were forced to intervene.

While the One Nation leader took to social media to clarify the minor party’s position, Mr Joyce made several TV media appearances insisting Mr Farley should be let off the hook for the inconsistent messaging because he’s new in politics.

But while Mr Joyce was using a proverbial mop to clean up the mess, Mr Ashby brought an actual mop to an on-air interview with News24 to drive the point home.

“One Nation’s policy is to cut net overseas migration to 130,000,” Senator Hanson posted on X.

“The cuts will come from fewer international students and dependants, a dramatic reduction in temporary graduate visas and their dependants, and a much more targeted skilled migration program focused on the skills Australia genuinely needs.”

The excuse didn’t fly with Opposition spokesman James Paterson who highlighted in media appearances on Monday that Senator Hanson had been around politics for more than 30 years.

“Pauline Hanson is not new in politics. She’s a professional politician and she has contradicted herself on her own migration policy,” Senator Paterson told Afternoon Briefing.

“She said that we’re going to have 130,000 permanent migration and she’s now going back and deleting all tweets about how migration would arguably be negative on her watch. One Nation is all over the shop.”

But it also follows heat on his Liberal colleague and Shadow Housing Minister Andrew Bragg, who surprised Coalition members when he aired his personal stance on incoming migration figures at a Press Club address last week.

It was the stage Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke was slated to use to launch Labor’s migration policy over the winter break, until Cabinet friction led him to pull the plug and work through the finer points with caucus first.

While there is still no date for the rescheduled address, it emerged last week that Mr Burke quietly adjusted visa processing priorities in a push to curb net migration.

Asked about migration targets in Perth on Monday, Anthony Albanese said the government was working towards the 225,000 NOM figure which Labor set out in the May Federal Budget.

“We’re working over two years down to 225,000. We’ve cut the net overseas migration by 45 per cent,” he said.

He took the opportunity to criticise One Nation for inconsistent messaging on migration despite it being a key focus for Senator Hanson during her past three decades in public life.

“If there’s one policy they’ve spoken about over the 30 years that Pauline Hanson has been active in politics, it’s migration — (yet) they can’t even get a policy on that,” Mr Albanese said.

A parliamentary inquiry into skilled migration heard on Monday that states like Queensland face a critical shortage of overseas workers across vital sectors, including healthcare, aged care, and construction.

The Queensland Council of Unions highlighted massive workforce gaps ahead of 2032, warning that the infrastructure demands of the Olympic Games are colliding with rapid population growth and existing housing shortages.

General Secretary Jacqueline King told the inquiry an estimated 46,000 additional healthcare workers would be required, alongside 38,000 more construction workers to meet peak demand.