Let’s go to Canberra again now and catch up with the Shadow Minister for Immigration, Paul Scarr. Paul, thanks for joining us. Talking about this shift to One Nation, will be tested at the ballot box in the South Australian Election. It’s been reflected so strongly in federal polls. All the evidence and all the arguments suggest that it’s being driven in large part by Immigration Policy. There are a number of other issues as well, but Immigration Policy is where One Nation has been strong and consistent for decades. Does that mean that in your portfolio, the Coalition has lost touch with the wishes of centre right voters?
Senator Scarr
Well Chris, we’ve got to be focused on the national interest. We need an immigration policy that is in the national interest and has the support of a majority, of a great majority, of the Australian people, and we were working very diligently towards the back end of last year in developing policy principles, and also initiatives, which were very close to an announcement. I was working very close with the Shadow Home Affairs Minister Johnno Duniam, and we were on the cusp of releasing those policies, which I think would have reflected the concerns of the Australian people. The fact of the matter is, our rate of migration, our rate of Immigration, is still 90,000 above the pre-Covid 19 pandemic levels, about 41 or so per cent above those levels…(cut off)
Chris Kenny
Immigration is too high, and we’ve got 3000 people coming in from Gaza under some sort of secrecy. Did I hear you right? Did you just say you’re on the cusp of releasing an Immigration Policy?
Senator Scarr
I said we were on the cusp of releasing that policy before the Bondi Terrorist Attack, before that massacre. So, we’ve done a lot of work on the policy, obviously, given what happened at Bondi (cut off)
Chris Kenny
So, when will you release the policy? The Coalition are bleeding on this issue. It’s a front of mind concern for so many Australians. They’re flocking to One Nation, because they are clear on Immigration, and here you are still sitting on an Immigration Policy.
Senator Scarr
Well, you know what happened at Bondi. The immediate reaction to Bondi from the Coalition was to focus on what needed to be done, following that terrorist event. There’s obviously been a few things that have occurred at the front end of this year, which have diverted attention from the release and the finalization of the policy. I agree it needs to be released as quickly as possible…(cut off).
Chris Kenny
I find that astonishing, and you wonder why the Coalition is floundering. Thanks so much for joining us. Paul. I appreciate it.
