One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson has accused the Albanese Government of attempting to present itself as tough on migration while Treasury forecasts 920,000 people in net overseas migration over the four years to 2029–30.
The 2026–27 Federal Budget forecasts net overseas migration of 245,000 in 2026–27, followed by 225,000 a year from 2027–28 to 2029–30.
Hanson criticised Immigration Minister Tony Burke and said Labor was attempting to “sell Australians a migration crackdown”.
“Tony Burke remains the Minister for Mass Migration,” Hanson said, claiming Labor planned to bring in another million people over the next four years.
“That’s on top of the more than 1.5 million people they have crammed in since taking office. That’s larger than the population of Adelaide.”
Hanson’s comments come as the government prepares to announce further changes to the migration system.
It is reported that Labor has indicated it wants to bring net overseas migration under greater control, while One Nation has proposed much larger reductions.
As per news.com.au, Immigration Minister Tony Burke will announce the changes at the National Press Club in Canberra, with a speech titled: “The work of managing the migration program: Who arrives, who stays, who leaves”.
Hanson has separately proposed cutting temporary migration by more than 750,000 over three years, including major reductions in international student and graduate visas, before establishing a longer-term net overseas migration ceiling of about 130,000 a year.
The One Nation leader said the government’s migration policies were placing pressure on regional communities and accused Labor of failing to meet its migration targets.
She also called for net overseas migration to be reduced to 225,000, rather than what she described as continuing overruns.
The government’s Budget figures, however, show that 225,000 is already the forecast annual NOM level from 2027–28, rather than an additional target being demanded by Hanson.
The migration debate comes as Labor prepares to outline further changes to how Australia manages temporary visas, international students and other parts of the migration programme.
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