Immigration set to be battleground issue in next election

October 6, 2026 — 5:28pm

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The Coalition’s new immigration policy appears to have been drafted under the heavy shadow of One Nation’s blunt-stick approach.

But whether it constitutes a viable alternative to Pauline Hanson’s slash-and-burn ideas and the Albanese government’s more modest proposals remains buried in the hidden economic details.

One thing is evident, however: immigration is now Australia’s hot potato political issue and will be a major battleground in election campaigns.

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor announced a plan on Tuesday reducing the number of temporary visa holders by about 650,000 over four years, the “biggest cut to immigration in the history of the country”. He’ll impose a net overseas migration cap of 100,000 in 2028-29, 130,000 in 2030-31 and 160,000 in 2031-32,........

© The Sydney Morning Herald