'Completely the wrong decision' or 'really positive': cut to net migration draws mixed reviews

Construction workers

Mixed responses to government plans to cut net migration (AAP) Source: AAP

The federal opposition claims the government's migration reforms will make the housing crisis worse amid a shortage of skilled tradespeople. His comments have raised fears the major political parties are using migrants as scapegoats, even as business groups and unions largely welcome the changes.


Key Points
  • The new Skills in Demand Visa will fast-track visa processing times to just seven days for workers applying for jobs with salaries over $135,000. But the measure, known as the specialist skills path, will exclude tradespeople, machinery operators and labourers.
  • The federal opposition claims the government's migration reforms will make the housing crisis worse.
  • Greens leader Adam Bandt accuses Mr Dutton of unfairly blaming migrants, and the government of bowing to Coalition pressure.

Share