Hanson reacts after MP says migration plan is similar to Labor

Immigration

David Farley says One Nation's migration numbers are "not too different" to its political rivals. (AAP: Bianca de Marchi)

In short:

One Nation MP David Farley told ABC Insiders the party's migration cuts put it on footing "not too different" to the government, at a figure of about 230,000 a year.

Party leader Pauline Hanson has since written that One Nation's net migration target would be 130,000, "less than half" the government's current migration levels.

What's next?

Labor is planning an overhaul of temporary visas as it seeks to slash arrivals, while the Coalition is developing policy to tie migration to housing construction rates, as both seek to ward off One Nation on the issue of migration.

One Nation MP David Farley says immigration rates to Australia would not be "too different" to Labor or the Coalition under Pauline Hanson, as he suggested a figure close to the government's migration target of 225,000 by 2028.

Mr Farley told ABC Insiders One Nation would not seek to cut migration rates deeper than about 230,000 a year, saying the migration target would be a net overseas migration rate of about 130,000 plus "a minimum" 100,000 skilled workers under established visa schemes.

However his comments to Insiders have been quickly refuted by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, who wrote on social media a few hours after his appearance that One Nation's policy was "to cut net overseas migration to 130,000", and that the party's target was "less than half Labor's current level" of about 300,000.

The net overseas migration (NOM) rate accounts for the total number of people entering Australia with plans to stay at least a year minus those leaving, including those entering on visa programs such as working holiday-maker visas, the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, and skilled worker visas.

Mr Farley said once One Nation's "true NOM" and skilled visa targets were combined, its migration rate of about 230,000 would be similar to figures already forecast by the government.

"The raw number is not too different, but the reality is where do we need them. We don't need them in the great urban 'metroplex'. We need them out to be productive, working out in agriculture, engineering, mining, etc," Mr Farley said.

"The big difference is we are focusing on what are the skills we need as a nation."

The causes of migration are murky and it is harder for politicians to control than they would like to admit.

Hanson corrects Farley's claim migration target 'not too different'

Mr Farley said One Nation was focused on net migration "in its true form", plus workers from several necessary visa programs, citing about 40,000 migrants under the Pacific workers visa, about 68,000 to 70,000 skilled aged care migrants and skilled mechanical and engineering workers.

He said that category would make up "a minimum" of 100,000 more visas granted each year under a One Nation government, on top of what he described as the "true" net overseas migration rate of 130,000.

But Senator Hanson has since written that the party's policy was to cut total net migration to 130,000, mainly through reducing immigration by international students and dependents, a "dramatic" reduction in temporary graduate visas and "a much more targeted skilled migration program".

She said short-term seasonal agricultural workers, such as those arriving on Pacific workers visas, were typically not counted in net migration figures since they only stayed for short periods, though the PALM scheme was also available for roles where workers could stay for up to four years, such as in meat processing, and in those cases were counted in net migration figures.

"Labor opened the floodgates to mass migration and has repeatedly blown its own migration forecasts since coming to government," Senator Hanson wrote.

Mr Farley has already been counselled once by Senator Hanson since he won the seat of Farrer at a by-election in May, after he made comments that contradicted the party's policy not to display Indigenous flags.

Following Mr Farley's interview, Pauline Hanson wrote on social media that One Nation's policy was to cut net migration to 130,000 a year. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

While the government has forecast migration returning to about 225,000 by 2028, it has repeatedly overshot those forecasts, particularly after the reopening of international borders following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The One Nation MP's comments follow weeks of debate on how deeply migration rates should be cut, an issue that has become a political battleground in part because of One Nation's rise in popularity on a platform of slashing migration.

The party has also laid out its intentions to restrict migration from some countries deemed to be higher risk, suggesting it could use travel advice to determine which countries should be affected by migration restrictions.

The Coalition has been developing a migration policy to combat One Nation, as the right wing party has emerged from the fringe of politics to threaten the Coalition's status as the opposition.

While it has not yet set migration targets, the Coalition intends to tie migration to housing construction rates, saying that migration rates will be restricted to the pace of housing completions in the previous year in order to close the supply shortfall in the housing sector.

The government, meanwhile, has been planning reforms to further tighten temporary visas as it seeks to bring down net overseas migration from 300,000 to its goal of 225,000 by 2028.

Those reforms were due to be announced last month, but were postponed, with the policy still to be settled by cabinet.

In July, the government issued a directive to prioritise people already onshore for visa processing, slowing arrivals overseas — including for in-demand skilled workers in nursing, teaching and elsewhere.

Government frontbencher Chris Bowen said Mr Farley seemed to be supportive of the government's approach.

"As I watched David Farley this morning my overwhelming conclusion was he is pretty comfortable with what the government is doing," Mr Bowen said.

"I am not sure what campaign One Nation is going to run on migration if they are effectively backing in what the government is doing.

"It appears to me based on what Mr Farley said that One Nation now agrees with the approach of the government. And obviously I welcome that."

Chris Bowen says David Farley's remarks appeared to suggest he supports the government's approach on migration. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

Business fears race to bottom on migration

With both major parties and One Nation competing on migration, business groups have stepped up their calls for "stability" in the migration system, fearing a race to the bottom could leave industries with deeper worker shortages.

On Friday, the Australian Industry Group said skilled migration was "essential" to addressing workforce shortages in housing, infrastructure, manufacturing, health, aged care and in emerging industries.

"Australia cannot meet current and future workforce needs through domestic training alone," chief executive Innes Willox said.

"Reducing skilled migration at a time of persistent workforce shortages would put further pressure on housing delivery, major infrastructure projects and business investment."

The industry group urged that permanent skilled migration remain at current levels, and asked for visa processing and skills recognition processes to be sped up.

It also asked for the government to do more to explain to voters how migration supports essential services and the economy.

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