Federal minister abruptly postpones major address after cabinet stoush

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has been forced to abruptly postpone his National Press Club address after an internal stoush about migration policy.

Burke was scheduled to reveal changes to the migration policy in a speech titled “The work of managing the migration program” at the Canberra institution on Thursday.

But the National Press Club alerted attendees that his address had been postponed to an unspecified date.

A spokesperson for Burke said the decision was made after “some elements of the speech would not be finalised by Thursday”.

“The speech will deal with the migration system as a whole,” the spokesperson said.

“We’re working with the Press Club to find a new date.”

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Burke was set to announce measures to drastically cut net migration at the Press Club, including tougher family visa rules and a cap on backpackers, as a way to address public sentiment and growing support for One Nation, according to reports by the ABC.

It’s understood the proposals were met with a heated cabinet discussion on Monday.

The federal government is looking to reduce net overseas migration to 225,000 people a year after it peaked post-pandemic at a record 556,000 in 2023.

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

It is unclear whether the government will be able to achieve the 225,000 target.

As Labor remained tight-lipped about the cancellation, its opponents added to speculation about infighting.

One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson accused Burke of running scared in the face of backlash from his own party and voters.

“I think the polling that they’re getting is that people are fed up with mass migration into the country, and he’s now getting backlash from his own side of politics,” she said.

Shadow home affairs minister Jonno Duniam said the government appears unable to agree on how to repair the migration system.

“Labor has completely lost control of Australia’s migration program – and now it apparently cannot even agree internally on how to fix the dog’s breakfast that it has created,” he said.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Andrew McKellar urged the government to proceed with caution when tweaking the migration policy, saying the country needs skilled migrants.

“We need a sustainable, a reliable and a consistent migration program,” he told 9News.

“We can’t afford to cut excessively or unnecessarily, with the result that it would end up damaging the Australian economy.”

Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles denied that there was disagreement within the party on the migration policy.

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“We have been working through the policy,” he told reporters.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who gave his own speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday, refused to be drawn in on questions about the cancellation.

“I understand he’s managing a very complicated diary. I’m not going to comment on his diary,” he told reporters.

“I’m addressing the National Press Club today. He’ll address the National Press Club in due course.”