Australia’s Labor government is preparing to unveil a migration crackdown aimed at reducing migrant numbers and addressing growing pressure over housing, population growth and infrastructure.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is due to set out the measures in a speech at the National Press Club on Thursday, after weeks of political pressure over the country’s migration system.
The proposed changes are understood to include cutting migrant numbers from 305,000 to 225,000 within two years. They would also introduce greater scrutiny of temporary visa holders and seek to prevent migrants from repeatedly changing visas to prolong their stay.
The plan will be presented under the banner “Who Arrives, Who Stays, Who Leaves”, in a move seen as an attempt by Labor to reclaim the migration debate from One Nation.
Labor postponed the release of its migration overhaul earlier this year, prompting speculation about the scale of the reforms. The delay also allowed the Coalition and One Nation to seize on concerns about population growth, housing shortages and strained infrastructure.
Migration talks between Labor and the Coalition have since broken down. The government is now pressing ahead with measures that Mr Burke can approve himself, avoiding the need to secure legislation through Parliament.
The announcement comes only days after One Nation proposed reducing the temporary migrant population by 750,000 over three years, a significantly broader reduction than the government plan.
