Liberal leader Angus Taylor has unveiled a proposal to significantly reduce migration levels by linking them directly to housing construction. Under the plan, net overseas migration would be capped annually based on the number of new homes built in Australia. Taylor stated that this policy would result in a reduction of at least 70 per cent from the current levels seen under the Labor government.
Details of the Proposed Policy
Speaking to Sky News, Taylor explained that the exact migration cap would depend on housing construction figures. 'Right now, we know that it would be at least a 70 per cent reduction from Labor's peak immigration numbers,' he said. 'It would be well below 200,000. I'm not going to declare that number until we know how many houses are being built, and we'll know that in the next little while.'
Based on the peak net migration figure of approximately 500,000 during the 2022–23 financial year, a 70 per cent reduction would bring migration levels down to about 150,000 people annually. Taylor criticised the current government's approach, stating that Labor had set immigration targets without considering housing, services, or infrastructure needs. He emphasised that the proposed change would require the housing minister to announce the number of homes built each year, thereby determining the permissible net overseas migration number.
Revised Migration Forecasts
The announcement comes as Australia's migration outlook has been revised upward. The government quietly increased its migration estimates in the Budget, adding an extra 35,000 people next financial year and another 20,000 the year after. Following these revisions, net overseas migration is now projected to reach a cumulative 1.2 million people between 2025 and 2030.
Welfare Access Restrictions
As part of a broader policy package, the Coalition is also seeking to restrict welfare access for non-citizens. Under the plan, 17 welfare payments and benefits would be available only to Australian citizens. Currently, newly arrived residents can access these benefits with either no waiting period or waits of up to four years. Taylor stated that the changes are designed to make Australian citizenship 'matter' and ensure benefits are reserved for citizens. 'Australian citizenship must matter, it must be important, it must have benefits that come with it,' he said.
The policy would be grandfathered, meaning current non-citizens already accessing welfare—including Centrelink, the NDIS, and other payments—would not be affected.
