Full Breakdown
Coalition Unveils Plan to Cut Net Migration to 100,000
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Policy Announcement
On Tuesday, opposition leader Angus Taylor will present the Liberal-National Coalition’s revised migration policy. The plan proposes a net overseas migration (Nom) target of roughly 100,000 people in the first year of a Coalition government, with a longer-term aim of around 160,000 as housing construction permits increase. The announcement follows a party-room meeting in which senior Liberal and National MPs approved the measures.
Background & Context
Immigration is a top-five concern for Australian voters, after cost of living, health care and housing affordability, according to a poll cited by multiple outlets. The right-leaning One Nation party, led by Pauline Hanson, advocates a net migration ceiling of 130,000. The governing Labor Party, through Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, is targeting 245,000 for the current financial year and 225,000 by 2027-28. The Coalition’s proposal is positioned as a middle ground intended to blunt One Nation’s appeal while avoiding larger cuts Labor proposes for working-holiday makers.
Data & Statistics
- Current net migration (up to March 2026) was about 292,000 arrivals per year.
- International student visas issued last year totalled more than 337,000, of which ?45,000 were dependants or family members.
- The first-year target of 100,000 is roughly one-third of the current intake.
- The policy aims to rise to 160,000 after the first year, between One Nation’s 130,000 and Labor’s 225,000.
- 230 UK citizens applied for asylum in the past year, cited as evidence of abuse of the refugee system.
- The Coalition plans to link future caps to the number of houses completed; 173,000 houses were built in the previous year.
Official Statements & Responses
Liberal MP Andrew Wallace told Channel Nine that the Coalition “can’t just slash immigration altogether” and emphasized a “very, very carefully targeted” approach to ensure the right number of skilled entrants for agriculture and other key industries.
Criticism & Opposition
Greens leader David Shoebridge characterised the crackdown on visa-hopping and tighter refugee rules as reminiscent of the United States’ ICE policies and warned it could signal a “race to the bottom” on migration standards. Nationals MPs have warned that Labor’s proposed limits on working-holiday makers could harm regional industries such as fruit picking. Internal dissent surfaced when Matt Canavan advocated for a negative-migration target similar to One Nation’s, leading to a split with Taylor on September 16.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the precise longer-term ceiling: some cite 160,000, while others reference 173,000 houses built as a benchmark. The current net migration figure is reported as 292,000, but earlier commentary from Taylor mentioned ?170,000 tied to housing completions, indicating a lack of consensus on baseline numbers.
What’s Next
The policy will be formally signed off in a party-room meeting on Tuesday before public announcement. Implementation is expected to be linked to annual housing completions, with the 100,000 figure subject to adjustment as construction output rises. Both Labor and One Nation have signalled they will continue to critique the plan, suggesting further parliamentary debate in the lead-up to the next federal election.