In the middle of a housing crisis, why are we handing out hundreds of thousands of visas?
During Question Time, I asked Minister Watt about the number of homes that are required to house the 549,000 people who arrived on permanent visas in 2023, as well as the number of schools and hospitals that will be needed over the next five years to accommodate these new arrivals.
Minister Watt sidestepped my questions and instead underscored the government’s efforts to tackle migration-related challenges, notably reforms to the international student visa system. He once more criticized opposition parties for obstructing housing-related legislation and emphasised the government’s investments in health and education.
Transcript
Senator ROBERTS: My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs and the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Senator Watt. Minister, what is the number of homes required to house the 549,000 people who arrived on permanent visas in 2023? How many houses?
Senator WATT: Thank you, Senator Roberts, for your question. I know you asked a very similar question last week, and, as I pointed out to you last week, it is understood and expected that migration levels in Australia have peaked, that they peaked in 2022-23, and they are forecast to drop in half by next year. That is as a direct result of the changes made by the Albanese government to particularly to tackle the rorts that were occurring in the international student visa system that we inherited from the former government. The changes we made late last year are already having a significant and immediate impact, with student visa grants down by more than 35 per cent on last year’s level.
We are obviously strong supporters of the international education system. It’s a very important export industry for Australia. It provides a wide range of benefits to Australia and the countries from which students come. But the reality is that the system unfortunately was being rorted by a number of companies and that needed to be tackled. It wasn’t tackled by the former government, but we are tackling it and that is having an effect.
Senator ROBERTS, one of the things I also pointed out to you last week was that it’s a little bit ironic getting a question from a One Nation senator, a coalition senator or, at times, a Greens party senator about what this government is doing about housing numbers, because what we have seen over and over again is a coalition between the Liberals, the Nationals, One Nation and the Greens party teaming up to block action on housing by the Albanese Labor government. We saw it with the Housing Australia Future Fund. Senator ROBERTS, if you were actually sincere in your concern, you would have voted for the Housing Australia Future Fund to build more homes. If you were sincere in your concerns, you would be voting for the help-to-buy legislation that we’re currently trying to get through this parliament but which is being blocked again by the Greens party, One Nation, the Liberals and the Nationals. (Time expired)
The PRESIDENT: Senator Roberts, a first supplementary?
Senator ROBERTS: Minister, what is the number of schools and hospitals required over the next five years to meet the needs of these 549,000 new permanent arrivals last year? How many schools and hospitals—a number, please?
Senator WATT: It obviously stands to reason that Australia does need more hospitals and more schools in order to deal with a growing population, whether that be a population growing through natural increase or a population growing through migration. Again, Senator Roberts, we are trying to tackle 10 years of under-investment by a coalition government in our health system and in our education system. That’s why Minister Jason Clare has only just recently reached agreements with a number of states and territories to increase education funding to them and why, through National Cabinet in the last few months, the Prime Minister has reached agreements with the premiers about increased funding for health care across Australia.
Opposition senators interjecting—
The PRESIDENT: Order!
Senator Henderson interjecting—
The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Henderson!
Senator WATT: We know that 10 years of coalition government, propped up by One Nation, saw underinvestment in health care, underinvestment in hospitals, underinvestment in our schools—
Senator Henderson interjecting—
The PRESIDENT: Senator Henderson, I called for order and I called you personally. I would ask you to come to order and stop being disrespectful.
Senator WATT: Senator Roberts, one of these days you and your colleague, Senator Hanson, might like to back in a government that’s actually delivering on health and education. (Time expired)
The PRESIDENT: Senator Roberts, a second supplementary?
Senator ROBERTS: Minister, planning for immigration requires planning for the houses, schools, hospitals, transport, food and drinking water that new arrivals need. We won’t let you dump 2.3 million long-stay arrivals on the states and then wash your hands of them. This is the second time this sitting I’ve asked for the numbers and the second time you have failed to provide them. If you have them, please provide them. If you don’t have them then clearly this government is not up to the job of running Australia.
Senator WATT: Senator Roberts, for starters, I would take issue with your description of migrants as people who are dumped on the community. I think that is an offensive way to describe the contribution of millions of Australians who come from a migrant background.
Senator ROBERTS interjecting—
Senator WATT: It’s not funny, Senator Roberts. It’s not funny to talk about dumping people or people being dumped.
The PRESIDENT: I’ll come to you, Senator Roberts. Minister, when answering the question, please direct your answers to the Chair. Senator Roberts.
Senator ROBERTS: On a point of order: I’m not laughing at immigrants. I am laughing at the minister.
The PRESIDENT: Senator Roberts, that’s not a point of order. Minister Watt.
Senator WATT: I think that is especially the case now that Australia—I think the figures are approximately one in two Australians is either born overseas or their parents are born overseas. We know migrants make a great contribution to our country. The reality is, though, that as a result of the increase in migration after the pandemic and as a result of the rorts in the international student system that were left behind by the coalition, action did need to be taken and that is what we’re doing. But what we’re also doing is investing in the houses that Senator Roberts and his colleagues in the Liberal-National Party and, most of all, the Greens party want to keep blocking. If you want more housing, there is a really simple thing you can do: vote with Labor for more housing, instead of always opposing it.
The housing shortage is unspeakable and then bringing in migrants on top of who get given a place to live before our own, disgraceful.
I want an answer also to our health system. I live in a lower socioeconomic rural area. The doctors have a rather odd billing system, you pay on your first visit for the month then bulk bill for the rest until the next month and start again. That is with a health care card. I believe the government gave the doctors extra money in recent times to encourage bulk billing for low income. People on government payments can’t afford to live as it is, but then they can’t afford to go to the doctor because they aren’t getting billed properly. So they stuff up the hospital system for people who really need that help when their local dr should be seeing them.
They then chose not to take on a patient in their area who has mental health issues and has difficulty driving distances, as she asked to be bulk billed as she has no extra money. This is an over 60’s single woman. We can see where this is going. I want answers.
Stop the immigration- focus on housing our own homeless plus help those that are mortgage or rental stressed.
My elderly neighbour had to ask his son to move home as their rent went up taking up almost all his pension – leaving only his wife’s pension- bringing in more migrants makes no sense – unless they come in with their own finances – it’s criminal to force taxes to pay for these.
I’m hopping mad!! Because my family all borrow money off me to help them survive.
My daughter with a autistic foster son was living wherever she could find a couch with family or friends. Maybe call on the people to vote against this added cost to their taxes. Thanks for listening-
You need a bodyguard- they hate the voices that speak up for what’s right!
Thank you for all you do- prayerfully yours.
Wanda
I say the best way to get houses built is to demand immigration cease until we can meet the demand of citizens who live here first.
I agree with many of the people I speak with – stop the immigration until we fix the ousting crisis. It should not have been allowed in the first place.. The citizens of Australia deserve you parliamentarians do what you were voted in to do. Look after us. Clearly you cant or won’t, and then you deny responsibility. Absolutely shameful.
People in tents/cars are just frowned upon by community like trash! Yet Penny Wong/govt think it’s ok to import whoever she wants or the WEF instruct. There put up in hotels, provided an income & many completely unskilled.
Where is the accountability committee? simply Treason!