A leaked draft immigration policy prepared under former Liberal leader Sussan Ley has triggered sharp divisions within the Coalition, with senior frontbenchers distancing themselves from proposals to bar migrants from parts of 13 countries, including Gaza, Afghanistan and Somalia.
According to reporting by Guardian Australia and ABC News, the draft plan identified 37 regions across Afghanistan, Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Palestine, the Philippines, Somalia and Yemen where listed terrorist organisations are believed to exert territorial control. Individuals from those areas could face visa bans under the proposal.
It is reported that the documents, marked “draft” and “shadow cabinet-in-confidence”, were prepared in Ley’s office but were not formally endorsed by shadow cabinet before she was replaced as Liberal leader by Angus Taylor last week.
Taylor said he had neither seen nor approved the document. Speaking to the ABC’s 7.30 program, he said the proposal “has no validity”, adding:
“Frankly, I don’t know what the document is. I don’t know where it’s come from, and I don’t know what’s in it.”
Former Shadow immigration minister Paul Scarr told Guardian he had “serious concerns” about any blanket ban. “I never proposed any such policy. I never agreed to any such policy,” he said, confirming he had also raised concerns internally when the idea was first canvassed.
Shadow home affairs spokesman Jonno Duniam similarly denied involvement, saying the proposals had not been brought before leadership, shadow cabinet or the party room.
While disavowing the leaked draft, Taylor has made clear that migration will be a defining issue of his leadership. In media interviews, he argued that intake levels had been “too high” and standards “too low”, signalling support for reducing overall migration and strengthening character requirements for visa holders.
The draft policy reportedly proposed cutting net overseas migration to around 170,000 annually — down from more than 300,000 — and reducing international student numbers below Labor’s planned caps.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data show net overseas migration fell from 429,000 in 2023–24 to about 306,000 in 2024–25, while Labor has set a target of 225,000 per year over the next three years.
The plan also included elevating the Australian Values Statement — currently signed by temporary and permanent visa applicants — into a binding visa condition. Under the proposal, breaches of the statement could result in visa cancellation and removal from Australia. The statement affirms commitments to democracy, the rule of law, freedom of speech and religion, equality of opportunity and the principle of a “fair go”.
Security screening measures dubbed “Operation Gatekeeper” were outlined in the draft, including enhanced vetting of applicants’ social media activity. Other elements included tightening foreign property ownership rules, clearing a backlog of more than 100,000 unsuccessful visa applicants, and imposing stricter English-language and compliance standards on international students and education providers.
According to the ABC, parts of the broader migration overhaul — including strengthening the values statement — were discussed within the Coalition’s immigration policy working group before the Bondi terror attack delayed the policy’s planned December release. Ley had reportedly intended to unveil the full package this week before losing the leadership.
The fallout has exposed tensions within Liberal ranks, with some senior MPs expecting Taylor to further harden the party’s stance, while others warn against sweeping geographic bans that could complicate family reunion visas and diplomatic relations.
Taylor has stopped short of endorsing region-based bans, instead framing the debate around individual conduct and adherence to “core values”. “If someone’s not a citizen and it’s clear they don’t adopt those values, they should go,” he said, adding that Australians expect an immigration system that “protects our way of life”.
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