One Nation has unleashed at Opposition leader Peter Dutton for joining the far-left open borders party the Greens to oppose Labor’s proposed caps on international students in a sudden policy backflip.
The Coalition revealed on Monday that it would oppose Labor’s plan to limit the number of international students who can start studying in Australia next year to 270,000 with quotas imposed on individual universities and vocational education providers, calling the government’s bill “chaotic and confused”.
In a joint statement education spokesperson Sarah Henderson, Home Affairs spokesperson James Paterson, and Immigration spokesperson Dan Tehan said “we cannot support measures which will only serve to compound this crisis of the government’s making” and said the bill “will not even touch the sides” of the migration problem.
Anyone hoping for Peter Dutton to make meaningful changes to Australia’s insane immigration program and ease the housing crisis has just been betrayed.
After backflipping on a plan to cap international student numbers, the Liberals still support a big migration plan.
While…
— Malcolm Roberts 🇦🇺 (@MRobertsQLD) November 18, 2024
But One Nation Queensland Senator Malcolm Roberts said the Coalition’s decision showed that they were all talk and no action on immigration.
“Anyone hoping for Peter Dutton to make meaningful changes to Australia’s insane immigration program and ease the housing crisis has just been betrayed,” he said.
“After backflipping on a plan to cap international student numbers, the Liberals still support a big migration plan.While there were some holes in the cap, Peter Dutton’s backflip proves he won’t even commit to a small cut to ‘temporary’ immigration.
“The Liberals have promised minor changes to the number of permanent visas. They have said nothing about cutting some of the 2.45 million temporary visa holders in the country including students. In the middle of a housing crisis, these “temporary” residents are driving demand for an extra 1 million houses.”
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson later said in her own statement that the Coalition should rethink its stance.
“The bill doesn’t go anywhere near far enough in reducing the appalling number of foreign students taking up university positions and accommodation at the expense of Australians, but it’s a start and the Coalition needs to get on board,” Senator Hanson said.
“I’m forced to question why the Coalition wants to prop up the international student industry that is making our housing crisis much worse than it needs to be. Why are they protecting profits for universities instead of protecting Australians in need of a home?
“I’m forced to question recent statements by Peter Dutton about reducing the record immigration numbers that are driving our housing and cost-of-living crises. This bill doesn’t reduce foreign student numbers by a lot – only 53,000 – but that’s still 53,000 foreigners not keeping 53,000 Australians out of secure accommodation.”
BREAKING: The Coalition has just said they will BLOCK Labor from capping international student numbers.
They have just sided with the Greens to let in more migrants.
Are the Coalition completely captured by vested big business and university interests?
— Migration Watch Australia (@migrationwaus) November 18, 2024
Migration Watch Australia also criticised Mr Dutton’s decision.
“They have just sided with the Greens to let in more migrants. Are the Coalition completely captured by vested big business and university interests?” the advocacy group asked.
Education Minister Jason Clare accused Mr Dutton of being “in bed with the Greens over migration” but others defended the Coalition and urged the Opposition leader to come out with a harsher policy on international students.
“Keep in mind the Coalition is rejecting the caps because the numbers they continue to admit are far too high,” said The National Observer editor John Lawson.
“If Peter Dutton doesn’t put forward a lower number we will know his tough talking on immigration is all hot air. For now, this is a good sign.”
Former immigration department deputy secretary Abul Rizvi said: “Dutton blocking student cap legislation is good but if the industry thinks this means a higher level of student visa grants, it’s kidding itself. Note Dutton’s net migration target requires a much bigger cut to students than the caps were ever going to deliver.”
The backlash over the student cap decision comes after Mr Dutton angered liberal voters by announcing he will support Labor’s plan to ban under-16s from social media, although he will oppose an even more controversial bill on misinformation.
Header image: Peter Dutton meets Indian External Affairs Minister earlier this month, left. One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts, right (Facebook)
