National News
Andrew Bragg stands by proposed migration limits despite Liberal colleagues decline to back him in
Liberal senator Andrew Bragg has stood by his proposal to lower net migration to 180,000 a year in a wide-ranging speech where he lamented not stopping the Morrison government’s “madness”, even as colleagues side-stepped supporting the target figure publicly.
The opposition frontbencher said a housing “shortfall” – comparing the number of dwellings against population size – could be rectified if the net overseas migration target was set at 180,000 or under over four years. The reduction would bring the country to its lowest Nom figure since the mid-2000s.
Bragg admitted the opposition hadn’t yet finalised its “complete policy” on migration but he felt it was “important to move the debate” on to more details.
The Coalition has so far been reluctant to provide an exact figure for the target, but opposition leader Angus Taylor has indicated it will be “well below 200,000”. Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson also declined to back his colleague’s proposed target, saying “I don’t think you should bank that at all” when asked if it was a finalised policy.