Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. Following the 2007 election, with no mandate, then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd massively increased migration under what he called a big Australia policy. Prime Minister Rudd appointed the now immigration minister as the Minister for Population to help deliver his big Australia policy. Acting Prime Minister, is net overseas migration currently higher or lower than under Kevin Rudd's big Australia policy?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Social Services is warned. No-one is to interject before a minister begins their answer.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rarely thank shadow ministers for their questions, but I'm really grateful for that one! I'm really grateful, because I'm asked it on the exact day that those opposite committed publicly that they are going to vote to push net overseas migration higher. That's the decision they've made today. Today they made the decision and announced it in a press conference, where you could see him desperately trying: 'Don't give the grab; don't give the grab'—talking about everything other than what he's actually doing.

They have decided that one of the areas where this parliament can put some control on net overseas migration—because, let's face it, you don't have control over every lever; part of it, for example, is Australian citizens—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No—the member for Deakin!

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Unless you believe that we should control how many Australian citizens come home—is that your view? Do you think we should put a restriction on Australian citizens coming home? That feeds into net overseas migration, but apparently you don't know that. Do you think we should put limits on whether Australian citizens are allowed to work overseas? That's part of net overseas migration. But the one that we can have an impact on, student visas, you've decided to let go sky high.

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm just going to get the leader to pause, and we're going to hear from the member for Wannon, who's entitled to raise a point of order under the standing orders.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It goes to relevance. The former Minister for Population, now Minister for Immigration, was asked a very simple question: is net overseas migration higher or lower than under Kevin Rudd's big Australia policy? It's very simple.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the member for Wannon knows, being directly relevant to the question has to be adhered to under the standing orders. The minister was talking about immigration levels and numbers, so he is being directly relevant. He was talking about another topic—

The member for Deakin! You're not helping, either. So, we're just going to take the temperature down. We're going to listen to the answer, and we're going to make sure the minister is being directly relevant to the question he was asked about net migration.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those opposite apparently don't know what the different constituent parts of net overseas migration are. So, let me just give one of the easiest stats for them to know—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hume is really not helping. So, I'm going to ask him to cease interjecting, in light of the remarks I made earlier today. Let's just get through this answer.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do want to get through this answer. In Australia, over time, net overseas migration has gone up. If you take that 2010 benchmark, in what year was it the highest? When did we hit a record number of visas issued? When did we hit 9.6 million visas issued, the biggest upward pressure you could get on net overseas migration? It was in 2017-18. And who do you think was in charge of overseeing issuing each of those 9.6 million visas granted? It was the now Leader of the Opposition. So, out of full respect to him, that media conference and their decision today was completely true to form. While they've run the opposite rhetoric every time they have had the chance, they have put upward pressure after upward pressure, and this time they've made an announcement that they will vote for more upward pressure, that they will vote to let it rip on however many student visas get issued, however many come in—although I'll say that any immigration minister in the future will have a hell of a time trying to catch up with the number of visas issued by that man.