Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

It's quite disappointing that those opposite, who understand the backlog in terms of net overseas migration caused by the pandemic, are going down this path. It is the case that we are seeing the return of international students. It's an important sector. I remind the Senate that the population is still forecast to be cumulatively lower than pre-pandemic forecasts by June 2023, and 215,000 persons lower in June 2024. In fact, while the net overseas migration figure is higher, the population forecast is lower than was forecast previously. Obviously we understand the importance of making sure we have a sensible debate on migration—we've seen where this has gone at other times in this country. I urge those opposite to recognise that investment in housing is one of the ways we ensure that we assist in the battle against the rising cost of living that global inflation and supply chains constraints have raised— (Time expired)