Sunrise host Nat Barr has called out senior Albanese minister Clare O’Neil on the country’s skyrocketing immigration figures, with nearly 400,000 net permanent and long-term arrivals from January to September this year alone —a record high.
On Wednesday, Barr was joined by O’Neil and Liberal Senator Jane Hume for Hot Topics, where she asked about an article published in The Nightly, which referred to a Scanlon Foundation survey that found almost 50 per cent of Australians believed immigration was too high, a sharp rise from 33 per cent in 2023.
The survey of 8000 people also found widespread financial stress, with 41 per cent considering themselves either “poor or struggling to pay bills” or “just getting along”.
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The worst affected group was young people aged 24 to 34.
Barr tackled immigration numbers directly.
“When our housing and economy is already under so much pressure, is it time to rethink our immigration strategy entirely? You guys promised to cut it. It seems to be rising,” Barr pressed O’Neil.
However the housing minister defended the Albanese Government.
“Migration rates are starting to come down and it’s a really big and important thing that our government is doing,” O’Neil fired back.
She then pointed the finger at the Coalition for their failure to support a bill for a cap on international students.
“We reached peak hypocrisy here in Canberra this week where our government has put forward a bill to cap the number of international students, who are the biggest driver of what has been increasing immigration in recent years,” she said.
“It’s important to bring those numbers back down again. That is what our government is trying to do … the Liberals have shown themselves to be complete frauds on this matter this week. We are a government with a clear plan to bring migration rates down.”
Barr looked puzzled as she questioned O’Neil on the numbers.
“I’m just a bit confused as the Australian Bureau of Statistics has got permanent and long-term arrivals from January to September this year at 391,850 — that’s apparently the highest figure from that period to date. That’s the highest we’ve ever gone. Your goal was 260,000 for the whole year. So, is it coming down? Are you talking about from now on?” Barr asked.
“It is coming down,” O’Neil replied.
“Like, now? Which numbers are showing that?” Barr pressed.
O’Neil avoided the question, instead trumpeting Labor’s plan to bring down international student numbers.
“That is exactly why we have this policy in place to cap the number of international students coming into our country. Talk to any immigration expert you like, this is the biggest driver (of the increase),” O’Neil said.
“Liberals had an attitude of let it rip on international education. We’re trying to bring those numbers back in. But the Liberals are saying they won’t support it.”
Hume then took aim at O’Neil’s comments.
“You’re defensive Clare because this blew out of control under you,” Hume said.
“In fact, the overseas migration has blown out to a million people over two years. Now, that is a record number and it’s about 70 per cent higher than any other two-year average. That’s quite extraordinary.
“That happened not just under Labor but under you, Clare.
“That happened under your watch. Student intake, international students, yes, we have said that we will cut back international students but the problem is the way that the Labor government have gone about this is piecemeal.
“They haven’t addressed the problems underneath. There are so many different visa categories and the visa system is what’s broken.
“Students are moving on to temporary visas. They’re waiting for decisions about whether they can change courses, move courses.
“There are still 30,000 COVID worker visas out there. This has been allowed to run out of control under Labor. We’ve said that we will bring permanent migration, cut that by 25 per cent.
“That’s because we, we’re a proud migrant nation. There is no doubt about that, we want international students (but) at some point we’ve got to take a breather.
“Our services are stretched. Our housing system is in crisis. We’ve got to be able to play catch-up because it’s been allowed to run out of control under Labor and you, Clare.”