One Nation MP admits party’s migration target won’t be ‘too different’ to Labor, Coalition

Pauline Hanson has issued a fiery message after MP David Farley admitted One Nation’s net migration would not be “too different” to Labor or the Coalition, effectively doubling the party’s proposed cap of 130,000 people per year.

Farley told ABC’s Insiders that One Nation’s migration target would be about 230,000 – a similar number already forecast by Labor – after accounting for 100,000 skilled workers under existing visa schemes.

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“The raw number is not too different, but the reality is where do we need them,” Farley, the member for Farrer, said of his party’s key policy pillar.

“We don’t need them in the great urban ‘metroplex’.

“We need them out to be productive, working out in agriculture, engineering, mining, etc.”

The federal government has forecast migration returning to about 225,000 annually by 2028, brought down by its reforms to temporary visa approvals.

While figures have been reducing year-on-year, the 2025 migration figure was still above target at 306,000 people.

Farley said an elected One Nation would not seek to cut this figure any further.

Hours later, Hanson published a message to Facebook and said claimed One Nation’s target was “less than half Labor’s current level”.

“One Nation’s policy is to cut net overseas migration to 130,000,” Hanson wrote in a post on Sunday.

“The cuts will come from fewer international students and dependants, a dramatic reduction in temporary graduate visas and their dependants, and a much more targeted skilled migration program focused on the skills Australia genuinely needs.”

Hanson clarified that short-term agricultural workers who did not meet the ABS residency test were not counted in net overseas migration.

She went on to criticise Labor for allowing “mass migration” which has annually surpassed forecasts, blaming the migration rate for the ongoing housing crisis.

“Australians are living with the consequences,” Hanson went on.

“Homes are less affordable, emergency departments are overwhelmed, roads are more congested and essential services are stretched beyond capacity.

The party had previously vowed to cut migration to Australia “by capping visas at 130,000 per year”, however stopped short at clarifying which visas would be impacted.

It is estimated this raw figure would result in negative overall migration in Australia.

Hanson has also said she wants to deport 75,000 migrants who she claims are overstaying their visas.

One Nation’s website currently states that it would “cut immigration by over 570,000 people from current Labor levels by capping visas at 130,000 per year to ease pressure on housing, wages, and infrastructure”.

“Undeniably immigration or immigration policy has our country in the state of crisis,” Hanson said in her historic National Press Club speech in June.

One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce on Monday acknowledged the 130,000 number represented net intake of migrants, bluntly telling reporters the figure did not refer to total visas.

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 “It’s net,” he said at a press conference.

Regional farmers, miners and tourism operators have sounded the alarm over a severe workforce shortage in large parts of the country if visa approvals are slashed.

The Australian Industry Group described skilled migration as “essential” to solving the country’s workforce shortages in industries including construction and aged care.

“Australia cannot meet current and future workforce needs through domestic training alone,” chief executive Innes Willox said on Friday.

“Reducing skilled migration at a time of persistent workforce shortages would put further pressure on housing delivery, major infrastructure projects and business investment.”