{
  "id": 11548004,
  "title": "Labor's working holiday visa policy risks regional seats, experts say",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/labors-working-holiday-visa-policy-risks-regional-seats-experts-say",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-02T23:08:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-03/labor-risks-seats-with-working-holiday-visa-policy/107222324"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Political marketing expert Andrew Hughes warns that Australia's Labor Party may lose regional seats in the next federal election due to changes in the working holiday visa policy. The policy has drastically reduced the number of available spots from 31,000 to just over 5,000, impacting backpackers in Queensland's Far North region, which is a key food bowl and tourist destination. Backpacker Rocco Raseri, who had planned to work in Cairns for six months, now fears he would have left the region if he had known the visa was not guaranteed. Hughes says the policy disproportionately affects Labor's core city voters while neglecting regional areas, creating a wedge in voter perception. Queensland is particularly vulnerable, with One Nation polling at 36% in the state, ahead of Labor's 25%. Labor's Matt Smith, who won Leichhardt, a long-held Coalition seat, in a 9.5% swing, now faces the challenge of defending the policy and its impact on his electorate. Hughes advises Labor to offer community-led solutions to regain confidence from voters, emphasizing the importance of supporting regional workforce needs.",
  "summary": "Political experts say the immigration policy changes put Labor's regional MPs in a tight spot to represent their community and defend their party.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}