With eight words, Tony Burke may have handed his opponents a campaign ad
It's possible that with eight words about migration, Tony Burke has handed his political opponents a campaign ad — and another reason not to reach a legislative compromise.
Tony Burke, the Home Affairs Minister, made a political gaffe during his appearance at the National Press Club. He committed to an absolute statement, declaring he wouldn't say that the government wouldn't reach its migration targets. This statement has been seen by many as handing the Coalition and One Nation a potential campaign ad.
The government's migration target is 225,000, but the current figure stands at 292,000. Burke's speech echoed the sentiment of a Liberal prime minister who declared that Australia would decide who comes to the country and the circumstances in which they come. The plan proposed by Burke includes increasing the government's ability to detain and remove people who overstay their visas, including international students and their families.
However, the opposition has criticized Burke's policy, with One Nation promising to cut the stock of 3 million temporary visas by 750,000.
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Also reported by 2 other outlets
- Tony Burke unveils migration crackdown theage.com.au
- Tony Burke unveils migration crackdown smh.com.au
