One Nation has announced a policy to reduce temporary migration in Australia by more than 750,000 over three years, targeting international students and family members of skilled migrants in what leader Pauline Hanson describes as a “net-negative” plan. The proposal, unveiled on Monday, aims to return temporary visa numbers to 2017 levels, with a net-negative overseas migration total of 130,000 in the first three years.
Policy Details and Rationale
Hanson stated that the policy would “reset” Australia’s immigration system and alleviate pressure on housing and public services. “I know Australians are doing it tough,” she said in a statement. “Families are competing with hundreds of people for rental accommodation. Patients are stuck in ambulances because there are not enough hospital beds. Young Australians are being locked out of home ownership while wages and infrastructure fail to keep up.”
The plan includes a three-month deadline for “illegal migrants” to leave Australia voluntarily, with those who comply allowed to apply for future visas. Hanson warned that those remaining unlawfully would face immigration enforcement and a lifetime ban from re-entering the country. The Pacific Labour Mobility Scheme for agriculture would remain intact, but temporary skilled migrants would lose the ability to sponsor visas for family members.
Bipartisan Condemnation
The policy has drawn sharp criticism from both Labor and the Liberals. Deputy Liberal leader Jane Hume told News 24 that Hanson had “plucked the number out of nowhere” with no modelling to support it. “Simply saying we’re going to have negative migration for a number of years, negative Nom, well, that would be a real shock to the economy, and it would make all Australians poorer,” she said. “It’s so important to get this right, because sending the country into recession means that all Australians pay the price.”
Health Minister Mark Butler warned that the cuts would “smash industries like construction” and “devastate the health sector and aged care and disability.” Labor has also flagged sweeping damage to construction, health care, aged care, and disability sectors, while the Liberals have questioned the lack of economic modelling behind the figure.
Internal Division and Political Context
The policy has also sparked division within One Nation itself. Lower house MP David Farley previously expressed concern that major cuts could deny his electorate of Farrer the workers needed to care for elderly people and work on farms. The announcement comes as both Labor and the Coalition consider new reductions to overseas arrivals ahead of the next federal election, with Hanson hoping the plan resonates with voters before the Victorian state election in November.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Angus Taylor have held talks on Labor’s delayed migration package, which is expected to further reduce net overseas migration. Labor has struggled to finalise the plan, delaying its announcement by more than a month. Hanson concluded, “We will take back control of who comes here and how many we accept, train more Australians, restore living standards and put the safety and security of Australians first.”
