Nearly two-thirds of Australians want migration cut, according to a new poll released as immigration becomes one of the country’s most fiercely debated political issues.
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immigration → want → issues
The Newspoll survey of 1,244 voters, published on Sunday, found 66 per cent of Australians supported reducing migrant arrivals, including 37 per cent who wanted 'a lot fewer' immigrants and 29 per cent who wanted 'fewer' immigrants.
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who → publish → immigrants
Just 6 per cent of respondents backed an increase in migration, while 28 per cent said the intake should remain the same.
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intake → back → migration
More than half of voters (52 per cent) said migration brought both benefits and harms for the country.
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migration → say → country
Support for cutting migration was strongest among One Nation supporters, with 95 per cent backing a lower intake.
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cent → cut → intake
By comparison, a lower intake was backed by 76 per cent of Coalition voters, 60 per cent of minor party and independent supporters, 44 per cent of Labor backers and 29 per cent of Greens voters.
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intake → back → voters
Labor and Greens supporters were most likely to favour keeping the current migration intake.
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supporters → favour → intake
Almost half of Labor voters (47 per cent) and a majority of Greens voters (56 per cent) said Australia’s migrant intake should stay the same, compared with 20 per cent of Coalition voters and just 2 per cent of One Nation supporters.
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intake → say → supporters
The Albanese government last week unveiled plans to slash migration to 225,000 by 2028
Newspoll found that 66 per cent of Australians supported a reduction in migration (file)
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cent → unveil → migration
The poll also revealed deep political divides over the perceived benefits of migration.
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poll → reveal → migration
More than half of Greens supporters (51 per cent) and 42 per cent of Labor voters said immigration benefitted most Australians.
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immigration → say → Australians
Only 20 per cent of Coalition voters and 3 per cent of One Nation supporters agreed.
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cent → agree → supporters
The poll lands just days after Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke unveiled reforms to bring down net overseas migration and tighten visa rules.
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Burke → land → rules
Under the announced changes, future international students and graduate visa holders will generally no longer be able to bring family members to Australia, while backpackers seeking second and third-year working holiday visas will face a ballot for a reduced number of places.
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backpackers → announce → places
The government will also strengthen restrictions on visitor visa holders attempting to switch visas while in Australia, crack down on weak protection visa claims, step up enforcement on overstayers and prioritise skilled workers in construction, agriculture, fisheries and teaching.
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holders → strengthen → construction
Labor is targeting net overseas migration of 245,000 in 2026-27 and 225,000 in 2027-28.
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Labor → target → 2027
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show net overseas migration has dropped to 292,100 a year, almost half the post-pandemic peak of 556,000 in September 2023.
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migration → show → September
Meanwhile, One Nation has pledged to reduce Australia's temporary migrant population by 750,000 over three years, including a dramatic cut to international student numbers and a ban on the families of skilled migrants and foreign students joining them in Australia.
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Nation → pledge → Australia
The party’s plan would slash student visa numbers to just over 100,000 a year, about a third of current levels, and create a separate category for 'high-value' students.
It would also impose lifetime bans on visa overstayers who remain in the country unlawfully for more than three months.
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who → slash → months
Under the proposal, Australia would see 'net-negative migration' for three years before adopting a long-term cap of 130,000 net overseas migrants a year, which is set to be reviewed annually if adopted.
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which → see → migrants
The Aporia
