Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that the nation's annual refugee intake will remain at 20,000 people, a decision that reverses earlier suggestions of a cut. The government's commitment to the current number was reiterated by Albanese on Thursday, stating it aligns with Australia's humanitarian obligations and border security measures.
The annual refugee intake had been increased to 20,000 in 2023, with a previous plan to revert to 13,750 at the start of the 2027/28 financial year. However, the prime minister's intervention has solidified the 20,000 figure as government policy for future years.
Cabinet minister Tim Ayres emphasized that the refugee intake represents a small portion of Australia's overall migration program. "There's not a strong argument to move that figure. It's a small part of the overall migration program," Ayres told News24 on Friday. He suggested that the focus should be on skilled migration to benefit the country, indicating that the decision on refugee numbers should not be interpreted as a precursor to broader changes in migration policy.
Health Minister Mark Butler stated that maintaining the current refugee targets was not a reversal of policy. The Immigration Minister, Tony Burke, had been scheduled to outline a significant overhaul of migration policy but the speech was postponed due to internal cabinet disagreements.
The migration debate has intensified in the political landscape, partly influenced by the rise of the One Nation party in opinion polls. The party's proposed migration policy has seen some internal inconsistencies, with leader Pauline Hanson clarifying aspects of their stance on overseas migration figures and the inclusion of Pacific island workers.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor indicated that the coalition would consider a reduction in the refugee intake as part of their migration strategy, with specific numbers to be announced closer to the next federal election, expected by May 2028. Taylor stated that any future numbers would be contingent on housing construction progress and that the overall net overseas migration figure would be kept below 200,000.
Greens senator David Shoebridge noted the concern among refugee advocates following the conflicting messages from the government. He suggested that Immigration Minister Tony Burke would not have planned significant cuts without a thorough process, only for the prime minister to overturn it shortly after.