Labor’s immigration retreat: Pandering to fear and loathing

Labor’s retreat into the politics of fear and division not only betrays its progressive base but also erodes public trust in the possibility of a more humane and just Australia.

The federal Government’s recent changes to immigration laws, particularly the cap on international students and the lowering of the yearly intake of migrants, are indicative of a broader political strategy that exposes the Albanese government’s inability to dominate a fraught and politically charged policy area. Instead of crafting policies based on evidence and long-term national benefit, the government has allowed itself to be drawn into the Coalition’s well-worn territory of immigration as a proxy for societal anxieties, including housing affordability, labour competition, and cultural identity. This is not simply a case of poor policy; it reflects an ongoing failure of political strategy and a willingness to cede ground to xenophobic narratives promoted by sections of the conservative media and extremists within the electorate.

The decision to restrict international student numbers is particularly perplexing: international education is one of Australia’s largest export sectors, contributing significantly to the economy and fostering cultural and intellectual exchanges that benefit Australian society. These students do not exist in a vacuum; they contribute to the vibrancy and diversity of local communities, participate in the workforce, and often stay on as skilled migrants, filling crucial gaps in sectors ranging from healthcare to engineering. Yet, instead of embracing these values, the Labor government has chosen to frame its policy in a way that panders to populist concerns about “excessive” immigration.

This is the context that has brought the higher education sector to this point: universities, under successive governments, have become dependent on international students as a revenue stream, due to chronic underfunding of domestic higher education. This structural reliance was evident at the start of the Covid pandemic in early 2020, when border closures and international travel restrictions decimated the income of many institutions, leading to staff layoffs and program closures, along with the Coalition government’s refusal to place university casual staff under Jobkeeper support. If any reform of international student numbers was warranted, it should have occurred years ago, based on the need for sustainable university funding models and a balanced approach to education as an export. Instead, the current government’s approach appears reactionary and devoid of coherent long-term planning.