Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last night's budget by the Albanese government again revised its migration forecast up to 395,000 people. This is well underneath the figures that we have already had come into the country this year. As of February, we've had net long-term visitor arrivals of 348,000 for the eight months; net short-term resident arrivals of 147,000; short-term visitor arrivals of 361,000; and settler arrivals of 107,000. We have had net long-term resident departures of 92,000. All up in the eight months of this year we have had over 800,000 people come into this country, yet the Albanese government wants you to believe that they are going to see net immigration of just 395,000 people this year. This figure is completely unsustainable and completely reckless.

The Albanese government needs to explain why, over the last two years since they have been in government, they have dramatically increased immigration above the supply of new dwellings. A decade ago Australia was building close to 200,000 new dwellings a year. That would accommodate the approximately 200,000 people coming into the country and 100,000 natural increase. The current increase in immigration has been totally unmatched by the supply of new dwellings. Not only has the number of new dwellings failed to keep up with the extra demand but the number of new dwellings is actually now lower. They have actually declined to where they were 10 years ago.

Immigration is too high. I ask you, why aren't the immigrants being used to build the houses? Until such time as the Albanese government can find a house for Australians, they need to lower the immigration rate.