Opposition Leader Angus Taylor moved to reassure Australia’s migrant communities on 10 October, defending the Coalition’s plan to slash net overseas migration while rejecting One Nation’s calls for a “monoculture”. In an online briefing with ethnic and multicultural journalists, Taylor reiterated his pledge to cap NOM at 100,000 for two years—down from the government’s 245,000 forecast—through deep reductions in temporary visas, tighter rules for international students and a smaller humanitarian intake. Taylor argued that controlled migration is essential to maintain public confidence and social cohesion. “We are, and will remain, a nation of migrants, but migration must serve the national interest,” he said. “We will discriminate on values, not on race.” The remarks come as One Nation ramps up pressure on the Coalition in regional electorates by linking high migration to housing shortages; polling suggests Pauline Hanson’s party is siphoning votes from the Coalition’s right flank. Policy details released last week propose culling 650,000 temporary visas—including many graduate and bridging visas—over four years, while carving out exemptions for aged-care and health workers. Universities, the property sector and business groups warn that blunt visa caps risk under-cutting economic growth. Migration researcher Alan Gamlen told the forum the housing crisis “cannot be fixed by an arbitrary headline number” and urged the Coalition to focus on visa composition rather than crude cuts. For global-mobility managers the political brinkmanship signals that visa settings could swing dramatically if the Coalition wins the 2028 election. Companies reliant on foreign graduates and temporary talent pipelines should scenario-plan for tighter caps, longer processing and stricter labour-market testing in the medium term. Conversely, critical-skills occupations in construction and health may find new fast-tracks if Taylor’s carve-outs survive stakeholder consultation. Taylor offered no fresh costings for the proposal after reports the Parliamentary Budget Office has not fully modelled its fiscal impact. He did, however, confirm the Coalition would consult with business on skilled-visa streamlining “in the first 100 days” of a future government. Until then, employers face at least 18 months of policy volatility as major parties compete to look toughest on migration.
Source: South Asia Times
