Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan backed colleague Andrew Bragg, urging peers to follow his lead after a speech proposing lower migration and construction code changes divided the party.
Liberal senator Andrew Bragg defended his proposal to lower net overseas migration to 180,000 annually to address housing shortages during a National Press Club address, while Coalition colleagues declined to endorse the specific target.
Labor will introduce new rules to cut net overseas migration and push temporary residents to leave Australia, despite the home affairs minister Tony Burke postponing a major speech on the subject.
Australia's net overseas migration fell to 301,000 last year, down 9% from the previous year, as the Labor government aims to reduce numbers to address housing shortages and counter the rising popularity of Pauline Hanson's far-right One Nation party.
Pauline Hanson addresses her new MP's comments on immigration and Indigenous flags. The Albanese government offers concessions on capital gains tax changes. Iran plans maritime fees in the Strait of Hormuz, Ukraine drones strike Moscow, and Lionel Messi's family requests "humanity" amid health reports.
Australia's net overseas migration fell to 301,000 people last year, the lowest since mid-2022 but still exceeding pre-pandemic rates. The figures emerge amid a heated political debate on immigration, with the government highlighting the downward trend while the opposition deems the numbers "far too high" given housing and infrastructure pressures.
