Yesterday
Coalition chose political interest over easing the housing crisis
Readers’ letters on Peter Dutton’s focus on housing; how big super funds should prepare for tax changes; how the law can use AI; and a plea to keep printed copies of “The Australian Financial Review” alive in WA.
- Opinion
- Opinion
Dutton’s migrant crackdown treats economy with disdain
In the populist pitch to bring down house prices, there is little recognition of the role of migrants in filling acute skills shortages across the economy.
- Jessica Gardner
This Month
Dutton’s housing fix ‘will worsen supply’
One of Australia’s biggest property developers says slashing permanent migration as a way to fix acute housing shortages will only exacerbate the problem.
- Tom McIlroy, Michael Read and Nick Lenaghan
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Budget kicks off a populist election season
The housing crisis demonstrates how both major parties insist there are easy answers where none exist.
- The AFR View
One in, one out: Dutton plan ‘risks $48b foreign student industry’
Peter Dutton’s promise to reduce temporary migration to 160,000 people would smash the country’s fourth-largest export sector, experts say.
- Julie Hare
- Opinion
- Opinion
Peter Dutton’s housing policies look tinged by race
The Liberal Party leader’s complaints that foreigners are competing with Australians for homes tap into resentment towards outsiders.
- Aaron Patrick
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Dutton wants a housing election. This could get nasty
As the RBA says, there are no quick fixes to the residential property crisis. But that won’t stop Peter Dutton trying before the next election.
- Updated
- James Thomson
Tradies are the thing we need most: Developers to Dutton
Developers warned that cutting immigration would not only slow home building, but have ramifications for the entire Australian economy.
- Campbell Kwan, Larry Schlesinger and Nick Lenaghan
Dutton concedes homes sales to foreigners are ‘low’
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has conceded only a tiny fraction of property sales in Australia are made by foreign residents, hours after releasing a major new population policy.
- Tom McIlroy and Michael Read
Dutton to slash migrant intake, ban foreign property buyers
The opposition leader has vowed to slash permanent migration by a quarter and ban foreign investors buying established homes for two years.
- Phillip Coorey
Migration hit would ‘destroy’ $48b education export sector
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s plan to slash Australia’s annual permanent migrant intake from 185,000 to 140,000 would deliver a near fatal blow to the country’s fourth-largest export.
- Julie Hare
Jobs growth, immigration back under control: Chalmers
Delivering his 2024 budget speech, Treasurer Jim Chalmers says Labor has delivered record jobs growth, wages growth is back in the black, and immigration will be half what it was last year.
- Updated
Careful return to migration trends needed, Labor urged
Efforts to better manage immigration levels must not undercut the university sector and efforts to address skilled worker shortages across the economy, experts say.
- Tom McIlroy
Backpackers from China, India, Vietnam caught in migration crackdown
The government expects to halve migration levels by next year, with international students bearing the brunt of measures.
- Julie Hare, Michael Read and Tom McIlroy
‘Horrible on every level’: Universities object to migration changes
Changes to limit the number of foreign students at educational colleges, universities and schools are highly interventionist and prescribe not only where students can study but what they can learn, providers said.
- Updated
- Julie Hare
- Opinion
- Federal budget
Why did Labor drop a big policy change at 6pm last Friday?
While the media scrambled to get across a housing announcement late Friday, the government quietly dropped long-awaited changes to foreign student numbers.
- Phillip Coorey
High Court hands Labor rare win on immigration detention
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles welcomed the ruling in the case of the man known as ASF17, who says he would face persecution if he was sent back to Iran.
- Updated
- Tom McIlroy
- Analysis
- High Court of Australia
No more gaming the system, says High Court
The High Court has sent a clear message: those “manipulating the system” won’t be rewarded with a get-out-of-detention free card.
- Michael Pelly
Government’s $91m tradie plan only ‘modest’ boost for home building
Australia’s target of 1.2 million new homes is a crisis of surging demand and a construction workforce facing its own demographic challenges.
- Updated
- Michael Bleby
Chinese do better than others in student visa crackdown
Nearly every Chinese student who applies for a visa to study at an Australian university gets approved. It’s a different story for others.
- Julie Hare