Tony Burke delays speech expected to reveal sweeping migration cuts

Lead

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has postponed a speech at the National Press Club where he was expected to unveil far-reaching changes to Australia's migration settings. The speech, originally scheduled for Thursday, was withdrawn on Tuesday afternoon, with a government source saying it would be rescheduled in the near future without offering a reason for the delay.

Three sources familiar with the government's thinking told the ABC that Mr Burke had been preparing a package of measures to achieve a quick and drastic cut to net migration. The proposal was reportedly considered by cabinet on Monday, and sources said internal deliberations had been highly contentious.

Coverage Comparison

The ABC's reporting across multiple articles provides a detailed picture of the government's migration plans and the circumstances surrounding the delay. According to one report, the measures under consideration include tougher family visa rules, a cap on the number of backpackers, and restrictions on the work and appeal rights of asylum seekers. Another article highlights that the government is prioritising skilled migrants already in Australia for permanent places, a move that would "cosmetically" reduce net overseas migration by converting temporary holders already counted in Australia's population to permanent status while slowing new arrivals.

The ABC also reports that the plan may face legal hurdles. Migration experts have warned that the government's goal of gaining control of net migration figures could be derailed by the High Court or have unintended consequences if badly designed.

Key Claims

Delay and Cabinet Deliberations

Mr Burke was due to speak at the National Press Club on Thursday but cancelled his appearance on Tuesday, a day after the proposal was considered by both the Expenditure Review Committee and cabinet, which identified questions in need of resolution. According to sources, the migration package had already been taken to cabinet "several times," pointing to internal disagreement over proposals including a crackdown on backpacker visas, tightening rules for family reunion visas, and restricting work and appeal rights for asylum seekers whose initial claims had been rejected.

The ABC reported that the speech would still be delivered soon, with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles saying Mr Burke would be speaking at the Press Club "shortly" and that it was "not unusual for dates to be moved around in people's diaries."

Proposed Measures

Among the measures expected to be announced are a crackdown on asylum seeker work and appeal rights, limits on the number of backpackers allowed to extend their stays beyond a year, and a move to ban visitors from applying for family visas. The ABC also reported that temporary migrants applying for protection would have their work rights revoked once their claim has been rejected.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen, a former immigration minister, defended the family reunification visa scheme, calling it "very important" for Australia. "Bringing parents to Australia, for example, bringing loved ones who then go on to contribute huge amounts," he said. "Every program will have elements where you need to ensure compliance, of course … but the family reunion program is a very important one, and a very successful one."

Skilled Migration Priorities

Mr Burke quietly issued a ministerial direction last week that laid out skilled visa processing priorities, with jobs in defence topping the industry preference list. The May budget outlined that 70 per cent of the 185,000 permanent places would remain reserved for onshore applicants.

ANU Migration Hub director Alan Gamlen said the conversion of visas to permanent status was one of the biggest levers the government could use to reduce the backlog of temporary visas. "It allows them to prioritise applications from people who are already here and contributing and working, rather than sort of adding to this potential queue or backlog of people who're coming into the country afresh on new visas," he told the ABC.

Migration Statistics and Pressure

The government has faced sustained criticism from One Nation and the Coalition since a post-pandemic spike in net migration, which exceeded half a million people in 2023. Net overseas migration (NOM), the calculation of annual population growth by tracking arrivals and departures, ballooned when international borders reopened after COVID-19. NOM was 301,000 last year, the lowest level since its peak of 556,000 in September 2022.

According to the ABC, the number of temporary visa-holders making claims for protection is a major challenge for the government, with an average of 1,580 claims lodged onshore every month. About 90 per cent of asylum claims are rejected, but applicants have the right to appeal, a process that regularly takes up to eight years. The number of people in Australia on a bridging visa has more than tripled from 130,450 to 413,000 between 2017 and 2026.

The government wants to reduce net overseas migration from the current 300,000 to 225,000 by 2028, according to the ABC. Last month, Mr Burke quietly made a series of changes likely to further reduce net migration, including a substantial across-the-board increase in visa application fees, which was never formally announced.

Perspectives

Government

The government, through ministers and sources, has indicated that the migration package is close to completion and that the speech will be rescheduled soon. Ministers have publicly defended Mr Burke, and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles downplayed the delay as routine.

Opposition and One Nation

The Coalition and One Nation have maintained pressure on the government to reduce migration, with One Nation rising in popularity by campaigning on significant cuts. They have criticised the government for consistently overshooting its own migration forecasts.

Migration Experts

Migration experts, including ANU Migration Hub director Alan Gamlen and former Department of Immigration deputy secretary Abul Rizvi, have offered cautious assessments. Dr Gamlen noted the potential benefits of the skilled visa priorities but also highlighted ongoing processing bottlenecks. Abul Rizvi, according to the ABC, does not believe the changes will have a significant effect on NOM.

Business and Mining Sectors

The ABC reported that the measures have prompted pushback from the business and mining sectors, which rely on skilled migrants, and have caused some angst within Labor ranks about the prospect of changes to the family reunion or humanitarian program.