Major parties’ migration targets exceed global average
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Migration has become a major political issue in Australia, with Labor, the Coalition and One Nation promoting different plans to reduce or manage the country’s intake.
A recent One Nation voter study found migration was a key issue driving support for the party, suggesting voters are increasingly focused on population growth and housing pressures.
Latest figures show Australia’s net overseas migration rate remains significantly higher than most developed countries.
Australia’s annual net migration is equivalent to 1.07% of its population, compared with a population-weighted developed-world average of 0.26%. Excluding Australia, the simple average is 0.34%.
Australia’s rate is also more than 2.5 times Norway’s and far above the average for Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US.
Net overseas migration measures people who move to Australia on a permanent or long-term basis and remain in the country for at least 12 months within a 16-month period. It does not capture all temporary migrants who also use housing and public services.
The latest ABS figure puts Australia’s annual net overseas migration intake at around 301,000.
Under current proposals:
One Nation: 130,000 migrants a year
Coalition: Below 200,000, with 175,000 used as a working estimate
Labor: 225,000 in 2027–28
Despite these proposed reductions, Australia’s intake would remain above the developed-world average on a per-capita basis.
The current intake is about 216% higher than the developed-world average. Labor’s proposed figure would be about 117% higher, while the Coalition estimate would remain roughly 84% higher.
One Nation’s proposed intake would also sit around 37% above the simple developed-world average.
The figures highlight the scale of Australia’s migration debate, as political parties face growing pressure to balance population growth with housing supply, infrastructure and affordability.
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Source : News.com
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