Thank you, President. My question is the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration, Senator Watt. Net Overseas Migration for the year up to 31 March 2025 was 315,900, which is 46% higher than the 10-year average before the covid nineteen pandemic. That is 34% higher than the long-term assumption used by the Centre for Population within the Treasury Department. In an interview on ABC Insiders Program on 19 October 2025, the Minister was asked whether the current level of immigration was too high. The Minister was also asked what an appropriate level of immigration was. The Minister did not provide a target number, nor a range. Minister, does the Government have a target number or even a target range for Permanent Migration and for Net Overseas Mor the short, medium, and long term?
Senate President
Thank you, Senator Scarr. Minister Watt.
Minister Watt
Thanks President, and thanks, Senator Scarr. I know that Senator Scarr represents one view of immigration policy that exists within the Coalition. We’ve got Senator and Jacinta Price up the back there, she has a different view. And we’ve got Mr. Hastie over there with a different view. And then probably Senator Sharma has a different view.
Senate President
Mr. Watt, please resume your seat. Senator Scarr?
Senator Scarr
Direct relevance.
Senate President
Minister Watt, please continue.
Minister Watt
What I can say is that the Albanese Government has one view, which is that we have worked hard to reduce net overseas migration, including through changes to international student numbers that were opposed by the Coalition. So yet again, we’ve seen the Coalition argue for one thing and do another. We’re not going to take lectures on this or any other policy from a divided rubble of a Coalition.
Senate President
Thank you. Order, Order, Thank you, Minister. Senator Scarr, first supplementary,
Senator Scarr
Thank you, President. I note we didn’t get a target number or range. In its own migration strategy, the Government committed to developing a principle based multiyear planning model for permanent migration to improve collaboration with states and territories. In the same interview on ABC Insiders, the Minister advised that he had abandoned the multi-year planning approach. Minister, how can all three levels of government undertake appropriate planning for housing supply, services, infrastructure, without direction from the federal government on target immigration levels?
Senate President
Thank you, Senator Scarr. Minister Watt.
Minister Watt
Senator Scarr – the facts tell this true story, which is that the most recent data shows that net overseas migration is around 17,000 below Treasury’s forecast for the first three quarters of 2024-25. Net overseas migration has now fallen for six quarters in a row in annual terms, and it’s over 40% down on its peak. So, the Government does recognize that steps did need to be taken to fix the broken, discredited, corrupt immigration system that we inherited from the Coalition, and those figures show that we’re doing that.
Senate President
Senator Scarr, second supplementary,
Senator Scarr
Thank you, President. Again, no target or range was provided. When the Minister announced the permanent migration program for the current year, he made an announcement of three sentences, less than one hundred words. Minister, do you agree it is in the national interest, especially now with heightened concerns for the Government to provide a detailed statement of reasons for its immigration policy settings, including how it is balancing pressures on housing supplies, services, and infrastructure with addressing skill shortages.
Senate President
Thank you. Senator Scarr, Minister Watt.
Minister Watt
Well, again, seriously, are we expected to take lectures from people who like to in their home cities spend a lot of time with multicultural communities, but when they come down to Canberra, vote with people who want to limit Indian Migration.
Senate President
Senator Scarr?
Senator Scarr
President, direct relevance. Direct relevance.
Senate President
Senator Scarr, the Minister, has only just begun his response. I will listen carefully to his answer, and if necessary, I’ll draw him to your question. Minister Watt. Please continue.
Minister Watt
We’ll be ready to take lectures from the Opposition on matters involving immigration, when they can work out just one policy, rather than Senator Price’s policy, Senator Scarr’s policy, Mr. Hastie’s policy, which is all about taking over the leadership from Sussan Ley.
