No quick fix for overhauled Liberal immigration plan
Zac de Silva and Grace Crivellaro |
The coalition could take some time to announce its revamped immigration policy, as its plan to curb Australia’s migrant intake will be formally costed before its public release.
New Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has indicated migration will be a key focus after unveiling his refreshed front bench on Tuesday.
His predecessor, Sussan Ley, who Mr Taylor rolled for the top job last week, had developed a draft policy that would have banned migration from specific regions of 13 countries. It would have also imposed stricter English language requirements for new arrivals and slashed the number of migrants allowed into Australia.
Newly appointed opposition defence spokesman James Paterson – who previously served as the party’s spokesman for home affairs – said the policy under Mr Taylor would need to go through party processes before its release.
“We will work through this in a methodical way. We will do that in an orthodox way that involves the relevant shadow ministers in the shadow cabinet, that gets costings from the Parliamentary Budget Office,” he told ABC Radio on Wednesday.
The Liberals claim they never saw Ms Ley’s draft policy until it was leaked to the media after she was turfed.
“That immigration policy … has never been through any decision-making body of the coalition,” Senator Paterson said.
Sources close to Ms Ley have claimed the plan was ready to be released imminently, but Senator Paterson said that wasn’t reasonable given shadow ministers weren’t across the details.
Mr Taylor has spent his first days in leadership spruiking the opposition’s stance on immigration, promising to slash migrant numbers and “shut the door” on people who don’t respect Australian values.
“For too long, immigration numbers have been too high, and standards have been too low,” Mr Taylor said after announcing his new front bench.
“If someone doesn’t subscribe to our core beliefs, the door must be shut.”
Mr Taylor returned members who were axed by Ms Ley to the front bench.
“Today marks a fresh beginning, an opportunity to put the past behind us and to remember that our historic strength comes through unity,” he said.
Conservative supporter, Senator Jonno Duniam, has been given the shadow ministry home affairs and immigration.
“We’re going to protect our way of life. We’ve got to get immigration policy right,” Mr Taylor said.
Former immigration minister Paul Scarr, who lost his shadow ministry, on Monday said he never agreed or signed off on the policy document and disowned the country ban aspect.
Andrew Hastie, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Sarah Henderson were promoted in the shadow cabinet shake-up.
Several moderates and key backers of Ms Ley, including Alex Hawke and Paul Scarr, were taken off the front bench.
Leading the opposition in managing the economy, deputy leader Jane Hume holds the finance portfolio and Tim Wilson is the shadow treasurer.
Moderate Andrew Bragg retains the housing portfolio and will take on the role of environment spokesman.
Conservative Western Australian MP Andrew Hastie stepped down from Ms Ley’s front bench in October, citing disagreement over immigration policy. Mr Taylor gave him the energy portfolio.
Liberals hope to claw back ground under Mr Taylor’s leadership after bleeding votes to One Nation in recent opinion polls.
Pauline Hanson’s anti-immigration party has had a surge in opinion polls since the federal election.
AAP