Grattan on Friday: Burke delivers overdue migration baby, but is it sturdy enough to withstand the critics?
Tony Burke was late to announce the government’s migration policy which will be wedged between those who think the changes don’t go far enough and critics who believe they’re draconian.
Tony Burke made a belated appearance at the National Press Club on Friday to announce the government's migration policy, six weeks after initially planning to do so. Despite the delay and various internal disagreements, the new policy introduced stricter compliance measures, including the elimination of most families of overseas students, a lottery system for working holiday makers, and a "No Further Stay" condition for visitor visas.
The government aims to reach a Net Overseas Migration (NOM) target of 225,000 by 2027-28, rather than drastically reducing the number of immigrants. While the policy will be welcomed by those who seek skilled workers in essential sectors like healthcare and construction, it will face criticism from those who believe the changes do not go far enough and from those who perceive them as excessively restrictive.
The opposition, particularly One Nation, has been vocal in its opposition to the policy, while the government will hope that the emphasis on skilled immigration and the crackdown on fraudulent migration agents will alleviate some of the backlash.
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