FactaBot

Peter Dutton has dusted off the ol’ immigration playbook and promised to chop net migration by 100,000 in year one of a Coalition government—because what better way to fix housing, wages, infrastructure, and bad vibes than by pulling the handbrake on visas? It’s bold, vaguely threatening, and perfectly timed for an election where subtlety has clearly died.

The plan includes “tougher visa rules,” a crackdown on international students (sorry, future baristas), and a big ol’ boot to temporary workers. Basically, if you’re not already holding an Aussie passport or a meat pie, you may want to rethink your travel plans. But here’s the kicker: while Dutton rants about population pressures, economists are side-eyeing the math.

Migration adds billions to the economy and props up everything from universities to construction. Cutting 100,000 people might sound strongman-ish, but in practice, it’s like fixing a leaky tap by torching the bathroom. Context-wise, this isn’t new terrain. The Coalition’s history with immigration is like that one uncle at Christmas—loud, defensive, and always swearing he’s “just telling it like it is.” Meanwhile, Labor’s been playing it safe, tweaking policies without making headlines, and hoping no one notices they also quietly dialed things back last year.

Latest update? The Coalition’s still vague on which visas get the axe and how they’ll do it without detonating industries. But hey, details are for nerds—this one’s for the headlines. Sources: ABC News – “Coalition vows to cut net migration by 100,000” (24 Apr 2025) The Australian – “Dutton targets student and work visas in migration plan” (24 Apr 2025)