Taylor faces ‘strategic error’ in seizing on migration
Providing Australians with a plan to curb immigration would be a “strategic mistake” for Opposition Leader Angus Taylor as he faces the growing challenge of One Nation.
Mr Taylor will address parliament on Thursday evening to deliver his first budget response speech, two days after Chancellor of the Exchequer Jim Chalmers delivered his fifth budget earlier this week.
Although the details have not yet been announced, the coalition has outlined a reduction in immigrant intake in order to alleviate the pressure on voters from the tightening economic housing market.
Paul Smith, director of public data at YouGov, said polls showed loyal coalition voters no longer identified with conservative and provincial parties.
“Angus Taylor needs to make it clear that he is on the side of people who feel the economic system is not working for them,” he told AAP.
“The Coalition needs to deliver something new and different, and copying One Nation’s policies will make things worse rather than better.
“Taking over immigration is a strategic mistake because people think One Nation already does it well.”
Mr. Smith said voters tended to perceive the coalition as good economic managers and that Mr. Taylor should develop his own product rather than be associated with One Nation on issues such as immigration.
The budget response speech will be made in the context of the right-wing political party One Nation winning its first lower house seat in the federal parliament in the elections.
The minor party managed to capture former Liberal leader Sussan Ley’s seat in last Saturday’s by-election, which had been held exclusively by the coalition since the electorate was formed in 1949.
The election was seen as a litmus test for growing support for One Nation, which voters now rate higher than the coalition in opinion polls.
Coalition politicians are increasingly concerned that they may face an extinction event at the next federal election; Regional seats in NSW and Queensland are seen as particularly at risk.
Driven by public sentiment that immigration intake in Australia was too high, Mr Taylor promised to only allow immigrants in numbers equivalent to the number of homes built in the previous year.
But Greens and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson accused the coalition of copying the party’s immigration policies.
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