Australian PM promises migration cut, refugee freeze if re-elected

Source: Reuters, 14/06/2019

Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media during a press
conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, April 11, 2019.
AAP Image/Mick Tsikas via REUTERS
The pace of migration and the over crowding of Australia’s major
cities is a sensitive issue amongst voters in a nation where 29 per
cent of the 25.3 million people were born overseas and where migration
levels now outstrip the birthrate.
“Managing our population growth is very important to the quality of
life that we have in our cities,” Morrison said from a Liberal party
rally in Sydney on Sunday.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics says net overseas migration in the
year to September 2018 was 240,100.
The prime minister said if his government was re-elected it would cap
annual migrant numbers at 160,000 people per year for the next four
years.
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The restriction does not include more than 350,000 foreign students
granted visas each year, the majority of whom end up staying and who
pump millions of dollars through the nation’s universities, according
to Department of Home Affairs figures.
Voters in the largest cities of Sydney and Melbourne where most
migrants settle have growing concerns over congestion, inadequate
infrastructure and the rising cost of living.
Morrison also said the annual refugee intake would be frozen at 18,750
people. The Labor opposition intends to increase the refugee intake to
27,000 by 2025.
Labor’s campaign has focused on increased spending for education,
health and welfare and on Sunday its leader, Bill Shorten, promised
A$4 billion ($2.82 billion) worth of childcare to a million low-income
families, including 15 hours a week of free pre-school, if elected.
“It’s time that we rewarded mums for participating in the economy
instead of penalizing families,” he said from a rally in Melbourne. He
also promised free dental care for the aged.
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Morrison’s government entered the campaign well behind Labor in
opinion polls but has closed the gap with the latest poll showing his
Liberal-National party coalition up two points on the primary vote to
be level with Labor at 37 percent.
But the poll, conducted by YouGov/Galaxy for News Corp media and
published on Saturday, showed the coalition still trailed Labor 48-52
on a more important two-party preferred basis.