‘Not acceptable’: Liberal breaks ranks on immigration
A Liberal senator has targeted his leader’s tone and approach to the immigration debate after the coalition vowed to reduce the number of foreigners entering Australia.
South Australian senator Andrew McLachlan has argued that the framing of Opposition Leader Angus Taylor’s plan to link immigration to the number of homes built each year risks alienating diaspora communities across the country.
But Senator McLachlan agrees there needs to be a legitimate conversation about immigration levels to ensure new arrivals get the support they need.
“It’s about our tone and our approach, because we can’t approach immigration in a negative way, and neither should you,” he told ABC radio on Tuesday.
“Of course it has to be controlled, and we don’t want to invite people here without creating a society that can accommodate them both economically and culturally, but we can’t keep blaming immigrants for the problems of our economy.”
In his budget response speech, the opposition leader promised to base Australia’s net overseas migration level on the number of homes completed in the previous year.
“This is about mass migration moving ahead of the homes, roads, hospitals, schools and services Australia can provide,” Mr Taylor told parliament.
Senator McLachlan said the language was unnecessary and politically risky.
“For example, the use of the word mass migration is unacceptable… it creates anxiety and fear in society,” he said.
Mr Taylor also vowed to ban permanent residents from accessing benefits such as JobSeeker.
Senator McLachlan said this would effectively create a two-tiered society.
“I have deep concerns from a multicultural community that with this policy package we will create two types of members in society going forward,” he said.
In the last election, then-opposition leader Peter Dutton received strong backlash from multicultural communities after promising to drastically reduce immigration.
When asked about Mr McLachlan’s comments, Mr Taylor denied his comments had alienated immigrant communities
“No, this alienates the wrongdoing government,” he said.
Mr Taylor defended Labor’s use of the term “mass immigration”, arguing that it had failed to meet housing targets while exceeding its own immigration targets.
Prime Minister Albanese said immigrants and permanent residents made a significant contribution to the country and accused the opposition of trying to take votes away from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
“Angus Taylor’s budget response was all about fighting for One Nation. My aim was to fight for our nation,” he told reporters in Perth on Tuesday.
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