Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has refused to back calls to tie migration levels to housing supply, instead defending the government’s efforts to reduce migration while boosting the number of homes being built.
Australia officially reached a population of 28 million this week, reigniting debate over migration levels as housing affordability remains a major concern for voters.
Wong was pressed on Sunrise on Wednesday over a proposal from Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor to link migration levels to housing supply. The Coalition has also called for net overseas migration to be reduced to below 200,000.
Instead of endorsing the proposal, Wong turned her criticism on the Coalition’s housing record.
“I think it’s pretty interesting that Mr Taylor, who was part of a government that did not invest in any new housing — I think they built about just over 300 social houses in the time that they were in government — is now talking about linking migration to housing,” Wong said.
“What we are doing is we want migration at sustainable levels, and we want to add to housing supply, and that’s what the Budget does.”
The minister argued migration levels were already falling from the levels seen when Labor came to office.
“We are actually working to lower migration from the growth that we saw when we first came to government,” Wong said.
“You see that in the Budget papers that there has been less migration than was occurring than when we first came to government.”
Wong acknowledged housing remains the area where migration is most concerning for many Australians but said the government’s focus was on increasing supply and helping first-home buyers enter the market.
“What is important is, particularly for Australians who are seeking to get into their own home, is to ensure that we add to housing supply,” she said.
The minister pointed to housing measures in the federal budget as well as Labor’s proposed negative gearing changes, which she said were designed to ensure first-home buyers “get a fair go when it comes to entering the housing market”.
Net overseas migration is currently sitting at just over 300,000, with the government maintaining it wants migration at sustainable levels while continuing to address skill shortages and labour demand.
“We want migration in areas where we have skill shortages,” Wong said.
“You want migration where you can contribute to growing the economy and for example, building houses.”
